EE8701 – High Voltage Engineering Department of EEE 2021-2022

UNIT I
OVER VOLTAGES IN ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS
PART – A (C401.1)
[Link] are the different types of over voltages? (May 2013)(May 2015)
The different types of over voltages are,
 Lightning over voltages(Natural causes)
 Switching over voltages(system oriented causes)
 Power frequency over voltages (temporary over voltage).
2. What are the various regions of the cloud according to Simpson's theory.
According to Simpson's theory, there are three regions named A, B and C. In region
A, air velocity is high enough to break the falling raindrops causing a positive charge
spray in the cloud and negative charge in the air. The spray is blown upwards, but as
the velocity of air decreases, the positively charged water drops recombine with the
larger drops and fall again. Thus region A, eventually becomes predominantly
positively charged, while region B above it, becomes negatively charged by air
currents. In region C in the cloud, the temperature is low (below freezing point) and
only ice crystals exist.

3. What is back flashover?(Dec 2016)

When a direct lightning strike occurs on a tower, the tower has to carry hugeimpulse
currents. If the tower footing resistance is considerable, the potential of the tower rise
to a large value, steeply with respect to the line and consequently a flashover may take
place along the insulator strings. This is known as back flashover
4. How are attenuation and distortion caused?
Attenuation is caused due to the energy loss in the line and distortion is caused due to
the inductance and capacitance of the transmission line.

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5. State the parameters and the characteristics of the lightning strokes. (May
2015)
The parameters and the characteristics of the lightning strokes are Amplitude of the
current, the rate of rise, the probability distribution of them and the wave shapes of the
lightning voltages and currents.
6. State the factors influence the lightning induced voltages on transmission
lines.(Nov 2015)
a) Direct lightning stroke b) Electromagnetically induced over voltages due to
lightning discharge taking place near the line, called 'side stroke'. c) Voltages induced
due to atmospheric changes along the length of the line. d) Electrostatically induced
voltages due to presence of charged clouds nearby. e) Electrostatically induced over
voltages due to the frictional effects of small particles like dust or dry snow in the
atmosphere or due to change in the altitude of the line.
7. State the attenuation and distortion of traveling waves.
As a travelling wave moves along a line, it suffers both attenuation and distortion. The
decrease in the magnitude of the wave as it propagates along the line is called
attenuation. The elongation or change of wave shape that occurs along the
transmission line is called distortion.
8. What are the uses of shunt reactors?
Shunt reactors are used to (i) Limit the voltage rise due to the ferranti effect (ii)Used
to reduce surges caused due to sudden energizing. (iii) Shunt reactors are used to
increase the power and energy system efficiency as it absorb & compensate the
reactive power in cables and long high voltage transmission lines.
9. What is a ground wire?
The Ground wire is a conductor that run parallel and above the main conductor of the
transmissionline supported on the same tower and earthed at every equally and
regularly spacedtowers. It is run above the main conductor of the line.
10. What is an expulsion gap?
Expulsion gap is a device, which consists of a spark gap together with an
arcquenchingdevice, which extinguishes the current arc when the gaps breakover due
to overvoltages.
11. What is a protector tube?

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Protector tube is one of the protection device used in transmission lines, which
consists of a rod or spark gap together with an arc quenching device which
extinguishes the current arc when the gaps breakover due to overvoltages.
12. Howis the insulation level and the protective safety margin arrived?
The insulation level and the protective safety margin is arrived by selecting the risk of
failure, the statistical safety factor and by firing the withstandlevel of any equipment
or apparatus corresponding to 90% or 95% of the withstandvoltage.
13. Mention the various insulation levels in a substation.
The various insulation levels in a substation are related to value of higher and lower
insulation level. The bus bar insulation is the highest to ensure the continuity of
supply in asubstation. The circuit breakers, isolators, instrument and relay
transformers are given thenext lower limiting level.
14. What are the various types of surge arresters used for EHV and UHV
systems?
The various types of surge arresters used for EHV and UHV systemsaresilicon carbide
arresters with spark gaps, Silicon carbide arresters with currentlimiting gaps and the
gapless metal oxide arresters.
15. Define Isokeraunic level (or) thunderstorm days. (May 2011, Dec 2016, Dec
2017, Apr 2019).
Thunderstorm Days (or) "Isokeraunic Level" which is defined as the number of days
in a year when the thunder is heard or recorded in a particular location. Often it does
not distinguish between the ground strokes and the cloud-to-cloud [Link] a measure
of ground flashover density (Ng) is obtained, then the number of ground flashovers can
be computed from the TD level which is given by,
Ng= (0.1 to 0.2) TD/strokes/km2-year.
16. What is a surge arrester? (Nov 2018)
A surge arrester is a device used to protect electrical equipment from over-voltage
transients caused by external (lightning) or internal (switching) events. Also called
a surge protection device (SPD) or transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS), this
class of device is used to protect equipment in power transmission and distribution
systems.

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17. A transmission line surge impedance 250 ohms is connected to a cable of
surge impedance of 50 ohms at the other end, if the surge of 400 kV travels along
the line to the junction point, find the voltage build at the junction. (May 2011).
V”=V(2*Z2/Z1+Z2), where V=400 kV , Z1=250 ohms, Z2=50 ohms
V”=400,000*(2(50)/(250+50)), V”=133.33kV.
18. Define Lightning phenomenon. (Dec 2012)
Lightning phenomenon is defined as peak discharge in which charge accumulated in
the cloud discharges into a neighboring cloud or on the ground.
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically
charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily
equalize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of as much as
one gigajoule of energy.
19. List some sources causing switching surges. (Dec 2012)(May 2016, April 2018)
 De-energizing of transmission lines, cables, shunt capacitor, banks, etc.
 Disconnection of unloaded transformers, reactors, etc.
 Energization or reclosing of lines and reactive loads,
 Sudden switching off of loads.
 Short circuits and fault clearances.
 Resonance phenomenon like ferro-resonance, arcing grounds, etc.
20. What is stepped leader stroke? (May 2013)
Due to insufficient build of charge at the head of leader stroke comes to a halt after
progressing about 50 meter and again after a short interval the streamer starts out
repeating its performance with different branches by a series of jumps. It is called as
stepped leader.
21. State the sources which determine the wave shape of switching surges. (Nov
2013)
 De-energizing of transmission lines, cables, shunt capacitor, banks,etc.
 Disconnection of unloaded transformers, reactors, etc.
 Energization or reclosing of lines and reactive loads,
 Sudden switching off of loads.
 Short circuits and fault clearances.
 Resonance phenomenon like ferro-resonance, arcing grounds, etc.

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22. Write down the causes of power frequency over voltages. (Nov 2013, Dec
2017, April 2018)
The main causes for power frequency and its harmonic over voltages are,
 Sudden loss of loads,
 Disconnection of inductive loads or connection of capacitive loads,
 Ferranti effect, unsymmetrical faults, and
 Saturation in transformer
23. Define : Corona Critical Disruptive Voltage (May 2017).
Critical Disruptive Voltage is defined as the minimum phase to neutral voltage
required for the corona discharge to start.
[Link] are the Protective devices used to protect power system equipments
against lightning? (May 2016, May 2017)
The protective devices used to protect power system equipments against lightning are
 Surge arresters  Ground wire
 Protector tube  Expulsion gap
25. Classify the lightning strokes. (May 2014, Nov 2019)
 Pilot streamer  Second charge center
 Stepped leader  Dart Leader
 Return stroke  Heavy return streamer
26. Why a simple spark gap cannot offer full protection against overvoltages?
(Nov 2015)
The sparkover voltage of a rod gap depends on the atmospheric conditions. There is
no current limiting device provided so as to limit the current after sparkover, and
hence a series resistance is often used. Without a series resistance, the sparking
current may be very high and the applied impulse voltage suddenly collapses to zero
thus creating a steep step voltage, which sometimes proves to be very dangerous to the
apparatus to be protected, such as transformer or the machine windings.
27. What are the causes of overvoltages and its effects in power system? (Nov
2018)
There are two types of causes of over voltage in power system.
 Over voltage due to external causes: Lightning overvoltage
 Over voltage due to internal causes: Switching overvoltage and Power
frequency over voltages.
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Effects: Over voltage tends to stress the insulation of the electrical equipment’s and
likely to cause damage to them when it frequently occurs. Over voltage caused by
surges can result in spark over and flash over between phase and ground at the
weakest point in the network, breakdown of gaseous/solid/ liquid insulation, failure of
transformers and rotating machines.
28. Draw the equivalent circuit of surge diverter. (Apr 2019)

29. What are the factors to be considered for the effective protection of
transmission line using ground wire ? (Nov 2019)
The factors to be considered for the effective protection of transmission line using
ground wire depends on the following factors.
(i) Height of the ground wire above the ground (H)and the protection or
shielding angle ϴs (usually 30°).
(ii) The shielding angle ϴs=30° was considered adequate for tower heights of
30 m or less.
(iii) The shielding wires may be one or more depending on the type of the
towers used. But for EHV lines, the tower heights may be up to 50 m, and
the lightning strokes sometimes occur directly to the line wires
30. Draw the mathematical model for lightning discharge. (Nov 2020)

Where, I0 be the lightning stroke current

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Z0 be the source impedance
Z be the object impedance

PART – B (C401.1)
1. What are the causes for switching and power frequency over voltages? How are
they controlled in power system? (May 2011, 2012, 2013,2014, Nov 2015,May 2016,
May 2017, 2018, 2019, Nov 2019,2020)
2. Explain with suitable figure the principles and functioning of (i) Expulsion Gap (ii)
Protector Tube.
(May 2017)
3. Write short a note on (i) Rod gaps as protective devices (ii) Ground wires for
protection of overhead lines.(iii) Ground rods as protective devices. (Nov 2014, April
2018, Nov 2020)
4. What are the mechanisms by which lightning strokes develop and induce over
voltages on overhead power lines? Give the mathematical models for lightning
discharges and explain them.(May 2013, Dec 2016,May 2016, Dec 2017, April 2018,
Apr 2019)
5. Explain the different theories of charge formation in clouds. (Dec 2012, May 2017,
Dec 2017, Nov 2018, 2020)
6. An underground cable of inductance 0.150 mH/km and of capacitance 0.2 µF/km is
connected to an overhead line having an inductance of 1.2 mH/km and capacitance of
0.006 µF/km. Calculate the transmitted and reflected voltage and current waves at the
junction, if a surge of 200 kV travels to the junction, (i)along the cable, and (ii)along
the overhead line. (May 2011).
7. A long transmission line is energized by a unit step voltage 1.0 V at the sending
end and is open circuited at the receiving end. Construct the Bewley lattice diagram
and obtain the value of the voltage at the receiving end after a long time. Take the
attenuation factor α = [Link] the step by step procedure for constructing
Bewley’s Lattice diagram with an example. (Nov 2015,May 2016, Apr 2019)
8. Draw the cross sectional view of valve type lightning arrester and explain its
operation with V-I characteristics.(May 2014)
9. What are the requirements of a ground wire for protecting power conductors
against direct lightning stroke? Explain how they are achieved in practice.(May 2014)
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10. Explain the characteristics of switching surges with typical waveforms. Explain
why a steepfronted surge waveform are more vulnerable to insulation? (May 2015)
11. Explain the different method employed for the lightning protection of overhead
lines?(Dec 2016, Dec 2017, Nov 2018)
12. Cloud discharge 15 coulombs with in 1.5 ms on to a transmission line during
lightning. Estimate the voltage produced at the point of the stroke on the transmission
line. (Assume surge impedance of line as 350 ohms) (Nov 2018)
13.(i) Consider a overhead transmission line is connected to a cable. Obtain the
expression of reflection and refractions of travelling waves at the junction.
(ii) What is tower footing resistance? Discuss the two methods to reduce this
resistance. (Nov 2019)
14. A long transmission line is energized by a unit step voltage 1.0 V at the sending
end and terminated through a resistance R. Construct the Bewley lattice diagram and
obtain the value of the voltage at the receiving end after a long time. Take the
attenuation factor α = 0.4.(Nov 2019)
[Link] the various steps to draw the Bewley-Lattice diagram of successive
reflections. (Nov 2020)

UNIT II DIELECTRIC BREAKDOWN

PART A(C401.2)
[Link] the gases used as the insulating medium in electrical apparatus?
Most of the electrical apparatus use air as the insulating medium, and in a few
casesother gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, Freon and sulphurhexafluoride.
2 .What is breakdown voltage?
The applied voltages are large, the current flowing through the insulation increases
very sharply, and an electrical breakdown occurs. A strongly conducting spark
formed during breakdown practically produces a short circuit between the
[Link] maximum voltage applied to the insulation at the moment of
breakdown is calledthe breakdown voltage.
[Link] is ionization?
The build-up of high currents in a breakdown is due to the process known as
ionization in which electrons and ions are created from neutral atoms or molecules,
and their migration to the anode and cathode respectively leads to high [Link]

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process of liberating an electron from a gas molecule with a simultaneousproduction
of a positive ion is called ionization.
[Link] is a Townsend’s first ionization coefficient?(May 2017)
Townsend’s first ionization coefficient is the average number of ionizing
collisionsmade by an electron per centimeter travel in the direction of the field.
[Link] is a Townsend’s secondary ionization coefficient?
The Townsend’s secondary ionization coefficient is defined as the net number
ofsecondary electrons produced per incident, positive ion, photon, excited particle or
metastable particle.
6. What are electronegative gases? (May 2013, Nov 2015, Dec 2017)
The gases which are highest breakdown strength due to attachment of free electrons
to neutral atoms or molecules to form negativeions, thus removing free electrons that
would otherwise led to breakdown is called as electronegative gases.
7. Define attachment coefficient.
Attachment co-efficient is defined as the number of attaching collusions made byone
electron drifting one centimeter in the direction of the field.
8. What is meant by time lag?
The time difference between the application of a voltage sufficient to cause
breakdown and the occurrence of breakdown is called as time lag.
The time t which lapses between the application of the voltage sufficient to cause
breakdown and the appearance of the initiating electron is called a statistical time lag
(ts) of the gap. The appearance of electrons is usually statistically distributed. After
the appearance of the electron, a time tt is required for the ionization processes to
develop fully to cause the breakdown of the gap, and this time is called the formative
time lag (tf). The total time ts+ tt = t is called the total time lag.
[Link] some of the applications of liquid dielectrics.
They are used as impregnants in high voltage cables and capacitors, and for fillingup
of transformers, circuit breakers. They are also used as heat transfer agents
intransformers and as arc quenching media in circuit breakers.
[Link] some examples of liquid dielectrics.
Petroleum oils (Transformer oil) are the most commonly used liquid dielectrics.
Synthetic hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons are also used for certain

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applications. For very high temperature application, silicone oils and fluorinated
hydrocarbons are also employed.
11. State Paschen’s law. (May 2011, May 2017, Nov 2018, Nov 2019).
Paschen's law is an equation that gives the breakdown voltage, that is,
the voltage necessary to start a discharge or electric arc, between two electrodes in a
gas as a function of pressure and gap length.
V=f(pd)
The breakdown voltage of a uniform field gap is a unique function of the product of
gas pressure p and gas length d for a particular gas and electrode material. This
relation is known as Paschen’s law.

[Link] are pure liquids? Give examples.

They are chemically pure and do not contain any other impurity even in traces of 1in
109 and are structurally simple. Examples are n-hexane,n-heptane and other
paraffinhydrocarbons.
13. State the properties of good dielectrics:
Low dielectric loss, high mechanical strength, should be free from gaseousinclusions
and moisture and be resistant to thermal and chemical deterioration.
14. What are the different types of solid insulating materials?
Organic materials: paper, wood and rubber, Inorganic materials: Mica, glass and
porcelain synthetic polymers: Persplex, PVC, epoxy resins.
[Link] do you mean by ‘Intrinsic strength’ofa solid dielectric? (May 2011,Dec
2012)
When voltage is applied for a short time of the order of 10-8 , the electric strength of
the solid material increases rapidly to an upper [Link] is called intrinsic strength.

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16. Define treeing and tracking. (Dec 2012)
Treeing is the formation of a continuous conducting path across the surface of the
insulation mainly due to surface erosion under voltage application.
Insulation failure occurs when carbonized tracks bridge the distance between the
electrodes. This phenomenon is called tracking.
[Link] is meant by corona discharges? (May 2013)(Nov 2020)
Corona discharge is an electrical discharge brought on by the ionization of a fluid
surrounding a conductor, which occurs when the strength of the electric field exceeds
a certain value.
If the field is nonuniform, an increase in voltage will cause a corona discharge in the
gas to appear at points with highest electric field intensity, which can be observed as
a bluish luminescence.
18. What are the properties required for a gaseous dielectric for HV
application? (Nov 2013)
Generally , the preferred properties of a gaseous dielectric for high voltage
applications are,
 High dielectric strength
 Thermal stability and chemical inactivity towards materials of construction
 Non-flammable and physiological inertness, and environmentally non-hazardous
 Low temperature of condensation
 Arc extinguishing ability
 Good heat transfer
 Commerciallyavailable at moderate cost.
19. What are commercial liquid dielectrics and how are they different from pure
liquid dielectrics? (Nov 2013)
 Pure liquids are those which are chemically pure and do not contain any other
impurity even in traces of 1 in 109, and are structurally simple.
Examples of such simple, pure liquids are n-hexane , n-heptane and otherparaffin
hydrocarbons.
 Commercial liquids which are insulating liquids like oilswhich are not chemically
pure.
 Normally consist of mixtures of complex organic moleculeswhich cannot be
easily specified or reproduced in a series ofexperiments.
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20. What is the Townsend’s condition for breakdown? (May 2015)(May 2016,
2018)
Townsends breakdown criterion for gases is given by γ(eαd-1) = 1,
where α, γ are the Townsends co-efficients.
Normally eαd is very large, hence the above equation reduces to γeαd=1
21. What is meant by “Penning effect”? (May 2014)
Penning Effect is a form of chemi-ionization, an ionization process involving
reactions between neutral atoms or molecules. The process is named after the Dutch
physicist Frans Michel Penning who first reported it in 1927. The Penning effect is
put to practical use in applications such as gas-discharge neon lamps and fluorescent
lamps, where the lamp is filled with a Penning mixture to improve the electrical
characteristics of the lamps.
[Link] are the factors which affect the breakdown in gaseous dielectrics?
(May 2014)(Nov 2020)
If the applied voltage are large , the current flowing through the insulation increases
very sharply andan electrical breakdown occurs. The factors which affect the
breakdown in gaseous dielectrics are,
 Low dielectric strength  Flammability and hazardous
 Thermal and chemical instability  Bad heat transfer

23. Define statistical time lag and formative time lag. (May 2015, 2018)
The time which lapses between the application of the voltage sufficient to cause
breakdown and the appearance of the initiating electron is called a statistical time lag
of the [Link] the appearance of electron, a time (tt) is required for the ionization
process to develop fully to cause the breakdown of the gap. This time is called
formative time lag(tt).
24. What do you mean by tracking index?(May 2015)
The numerical value of voltage that initiates or causes the formation of a track in
solid dielectric is called the "tracking index" and this is used to qualify the surface
properties of dielectric materials.
25. Name the various secondary ionization process involved in gaseous dielectric
breakdown. (Nov 2015)

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The various secondary ionization process involved in gaseous dielectric breakdown
are,
 Electron emission due to positive ion impact
 Electron emission due to photons
 Electron emission due to metastable and neutral atoms.
26. What is ionization by collision? (Dec 2016)
The process of liberating an electron from a gas molecule with the simultaneous
production of a positive ion is called [Link] the process of ionization by
collision, a free electron collides with a neutral gas molecule and gives rise to a new
electron and a positive ion.
27. Define Gas law. (Dec 2016)
Boyle's Law is an ideal gas law where at constant temperature, the volume of
an ideal gas is inversely proportional to its absolute pressure.
There are couple of ways of expressing the law as an equation. The most basic is:
PV = k
where P is pressure, V is volume, and k is a constant
The law may also be used to find the pressure or volume of a system when
temperature is held constant:
PiVi = PfVf
where Pi = initial pressure, Vi = initial volume, Pf = final pressure, Vf = final volume
28. Give the electrical properties that are essential in determining the dielectric
performance of a liquid dielectric(May 2016)
A good liquid dielectric should have high dielectric strength, high thermal stability
and chemical inertness against the construction materials used, non-flammability and
low toxicity, good heat transfer properties, and low cost.
29. What is ‘Burst Corona’? (Apr 2019)
On the high voltage conductors at high pressures there is a distinct difference inthe
visual appearance of the corona under positive and negative polarities of theapplied
voltage. Investigations with point-plane gaps in air showed thatwhen point is
positive, the corona current increases steadily with voltage. At sufficiently high
voltage, current amplification increases rapidly with voltage, up to a current of about
10-7A, after which the current becomes pulsed with repetition frequency of about 1

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kHz composed of small bursts. This form of corona is called burst corona. The
average current then increases steadily with applied voltage leading to breakdown.
30. State the properties of a composite dielectrics. (Apr 2019)
A composite dielectric generally consists of a large number of layers arranged one
over the other. This is called "the layered construction" and is widely used in cables,
capacitors and transformers. Three properties of composite dielectrics which are
important to their performance are given below.
(a) Effect of Multiple Layers (b) Effect of Layer Thickness (c) Effect of Interfaces.
31. Define uniform and non-uniform fields and give examples of each. (Nov
2018)
A uniform electric field is one whose magnitude and direction is same at all points in
space and it will exert same force of a chargeregardless of the position of charge in
space. It is represented by parallel and evenly spaced [Link] example we
finduniformElectric field between parallel plates of a capacitor. The equipotential
surfaces(dotted lines) drawn normal to the field lines are alsoequidistance from each
other.
A non uniformelectric field is one has either different magnitudes or different
directions or both differentin a given region of [Link] example,the field due to a
point charge, shown by radial lines. It depends inversely as square of distance from
the point [Link] equipotential surfaces are also at unequal distances (closely
spaced near the charge and farther separating as we move awayfrom the charge).
Field due to a dipole is also non uniform.

Uniform Field Non-Uniform Field

32. How does long term breakdown occur in a composite dielectric ? (Nov 2019)
Long-term breakdown is also called the ageing of insulation. The occurrence of long
term breakdown due to,
(i) Ageing and breakdown due to partial discharges.
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(ii) Ageing and breakdown due to accumulation of charges on insulator surfaces.
33. What are the insulating materials used in power transformer ?(Nov 2020)
Majority of power transformers are oil filled transformers and they work with “class
A” insulation with maximum permissible temperature of 105 degrees centigrade. The
insulation consists mainly of (1) cellulose (wood) based insulation viz. paper and
pressboard; and (2) mineral insulating liquid called transformer oil which works both
as an insulating medium and as a coolant. The overall insulation can be termed as oil
impregnated paper and pressboard.
PART B (C401.2)
1. What are the Electro negative gases? Why is the break down strength higher in
these gases compared to that in other gases? Explain the streamer theory of break
down in air at atmospheric pressure.(May 2014,May 2016).
2. Discuss the various mechanisms of vacuum break down.(May 2014,May
2016,May 2017, Dec 2017, Apr 2019, Nov 2020).
3. Explain the theories that explain break down in commercial liquid dielectrics and
also Discuss the various properties of composite dielectrics. (Nov 2013, Dec
2016,May 2016, May 2017, Dec 2017, Apr 2019, Nov 2020).
4. Explain the Townsends criterion for a spark. (May 2011, May 2015, Dec 2016,
April, Nov 2018)
[Link] do you understand by intrinsic strength of solid dielectrics? Explain different
mechanisms by which breakdown occurs in solid dielectrics in practice.(Nov 2015)
6. State the criteria for sparking potential and hence obtain the relation between
sparking potential and (pd) values (Paschen’s Law). Discuss on the nature of
variations of sparking potential with (pd) values. (May 2013)(Nov 2020)
7. A solid dielectric specimen of dielectric constant of 4.0 shown in the figure has an
internal void of thickness 1 mm. The specimen is 1 cm thick and is subjected to a
voltage of 80 kV (rms). If the void is filled with air and if the breakdown strength of
air can be taken as 30 k V (peak)/cm, find the voltage at which an internal discharge
can occur.

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8. Explain composite dielectrics and how the breakdown occurs in it. (Dec 2012, Nov
2015,May 2016)
9. Explain Thermal break down in solid dielectrics? Derive an expression for critical
thermal breakdown voltage(Vc) and critical electric field (Ec) for the same. State
clearly the assumption made. (May 2014, Apr 2019)
10. A certain dielectric can be considered to be represented by the equivalent circuit
shown in figure. What is the maximum voltage that can be applied across the
dielectric, if partial discharges in air to be avoided? State any assumptions made.
(May 2015, 2018)

11. Explain the breakdown mechanisms involving in solid dielectric breakdown. (Nov
2018, Nov 2019, Nov 2020)
12. List out the problems caused by corona discharges. (Nov 2018, 2019)
[Link] the Townsend’s current growth equation in uniform gaseous dielectric
field. (or) Derive the expression of current growth equation in a uniform field due
toTownsend’s first and second ionization process and thereby deduce the condition
for condition for gaseous dielectrics. (Apr 2019,Nov 2019)
UNIT III GENERATION OF HIGH VOLTAGES AND HIGH CURRENTS
PART A(C401.3)
1. What does the selection of BIL level for lines depend?
The selection of BIL level for lines depend on various factors like
 Atmospheric conditions,
 Lightning activity,
 Insulation
 Pollution
 Acceptable outage of the line.
2. What are the disadvantages of half wave rectifier circuit?(Nov 2013)
 Low dc output power and lower efficiency.
 Higher ripple voltage & ripple current.
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 Higher ripple factor.
 Low transformer utilization factor.
 The input supply current waveformhas a dc component which can result in dc
saturation of the transformer core.
3. What are the classifications of high voltages?
The classifications of high voltages are,
 High d.c. voltages
 Hhigha.c. voltages of power frequency.
 High a.c. voltages of high frequency.
 High transient or impulse voltages of very short duration such as
lightningovervoltages
 Transient voltages of longer duration such as switching surges.
4. What is regulation?
Voltage Regulation is a measure of change in the voltage magnitude between the
sending and receiving end of a component, such as a transmission or distribution line.
Voltage regulation describes the ability of a system to provide near constant voltage
over a wide range of load conditions.
5. What is a tesla coil? (Dec 2016, Nov 2018)
The commonly used high frequency resonant transformer is the Tesla coil, which is a
doubly tuned resonant circuit used for testing of electrical apparatus by generating
switching surges and highfrequency high voltage damped oscillations.
6. What are the uses of high frequency high voltage supply?
High frequency high voltage is used for testing of electrical apparatus for switching
surges, high frequency high voltage damped oscillations are needed which need high
voltage highfrequency transformers.
7. What are the advantages of high frequency transformers for generating high
AC voltage? (Nov 2020)
The advantages of high frequency transformers are, Saving in cost and size, pure sine
wave output, uniform distribution of voltage across the winding coils due to
subdivision of coil stack into number of units.
8. What is ‘Trigatron gap’? What are its function? (May 2016, May
2017,2018)

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A trigatron is a type of triggerable spark gap switch designed for high current and high
[Link] has three electrodes. The heavy main electrodes are for the high
current switching path, and a smaller third electrode serves as the trigger. During
normal operation, the voltage between the main electrodes is somewhat lower than
the breakdown voltage corresponding to their distance and the dielectric between
them.
9. Mention the specifications of standard impulse wave.(May 2013) (Nov 2015,
Nov 2020)
By defining the rise of front time and tail time 1.2/50µs, 1000 KV (standard value),
fall time to 50% peak value of 50 s and a peak value of 1000 kV.

10. Mention the circuits to produce impulse waves.

An impulse voltage is a unidirectional voltage which, without appreciable oscillations,
rises rapidly to a maximum value and falls more or less rapidly to zero. In the
laboratory with a combination of a series R-L-C circuit under over dampedconditions
or by the combination of two R-C circuits, impulse waves can be produced.

11. What is transient voltage?

Voltage transients are defined as short duration surges of electrical energy and are the
result of the sudden release of energy previously stored or induced by other means,

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such as heavy inductive loads or lightning. In electrical or electronic circuits, this
energy can be released in a predictable manner via controlled switching actions, or
randomly induced into a circuit from external sources
12. What are the components of a multistage impulse generator?
The components of a multistage impulse generator are DC charging unit, charging
resistors, generator capacitors and spark gaps, waveshaping resistors and capacitors,
triggering system, voltage dividers and gas insulated impulse generators.
13. Explain Deltatron circuit. (Dec 2012, Dec 2016)
Deltatron is also called as cascaded modular voltage multipliers Circuits which is a
combination of cockcroftwalton type voltage multiplier with cascaded transformer dc
rectifier is developed for very high voltages but limited output currents having high
stability, small ripple factor and fast regulation. This type of circuit is called deltatron
circuit
[Link] are impulse currents of large value produced?
The impulse currents of large value is produced by using, a bank of capacitors
connected in parallel are charged to a specified value and are discharged through a
series R-L circuit.
15. What are the components of a trigatron gap?
It consists of a high voltage spherical electrode of suitable size, an earthed
mainelectrode of spherical shape and a trigger electrode through the main electrode.
16. What are drawbacks of single stage circuit for the generation of very high
impulse voltage? (May 2011)
For higher voltage requirements, a single unit construction becomes difficult and
costly due to insulation [Link] and transportation becomes difficult.
[Link] some merits of vande Graff generator. (Dec 2012, Dec 2017)
 Very high DC voltage can be generated easily.
 Ripple free output.
 Precision and flexibility of control.
 Stability of voltage can be achieved with suitable stabilizing devices.
18. What is a cascaded transformer? (May 2011).
The Cascade Transformer Connection units in which the first transformer is at the
ground potential along with its tank. The second transformer is kept on insulators and
maintained at a potential of V2, the output voltage of the first unit above the ground.
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The high voltage winding of the first unit is connected to the tank of the second unit.
The low voltage winding of this unit is supplied from the excitation winding of the
first transformer, which is in series with the high voltage winding of the first
transformer at its high voltage end.

19. Give any two methods of switching surge generation in laboratory. (May 2013)
 By changing the tail time constants of impulse generator.
 By connecting primary and secondary windings of power transformer in series.
20. Define the front and tail times of impulse wave.(Nov 2013, Dec 2017, 2018)
Rise or Front time: It is the time required for the response to raise from 10 to 90%
ofthe final value at the very first instance. Rise time for standard impulse wave of
1.2/50 μ s,1000 kV = 1.2 μ s.
Fall or Tail time :Fall time is the time to reach 50% peak value of 50 μ s. Fall time for
standard impulse wave of 1.2/50 μ s,1000 kV = 50% peak value of 50μ s.
21. Mention the necessity of generating high dc voltage.(April 2014) (May 2016,
2018)
The generating high dc voltage is necessary for,
 Research work in applied physics
 Charging of impulse generators
 Insulation tests on cables and capacitors
 Rectifiers are used to get HVDC up to 100 kV and 100mA
22. What are the advantages of series resonant circuit? (April 2014)
 It gives an output of pure sine wave.
 Power requirements are less.(5 to 10% of total KVA required)
 No high power arcing and heavy current surges occur if the test object fails , a
resonance ceases at the failure of the test object.

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 Cascading is also possible for very high voltages.
 Simple and compact test arrangement.
 No repeated flashovers occur, in case of partial failure of test objects.
23. How is the circuit inductance controlled and minimized in the impulse
current generator?(Nov 2015)
If the series resistance Ris increased, the wave front oscillations are damped, but the
peak value of the voltage is also reduced. Thereby circuit inductance can be controlled
and minimized in the impulse currentgenerator.
[Link] is the principle of Marx circuit?
A bank of capacitors are charged in parallel and then discharged in series into a wave
shaping network to produce a lighting impulse voltage, double exponential fast rising
& slow decaying voltage.
25. What is the necessity for generating high voltages?
In the fields of electrical engineering and applied physics, generating high voltages
(d.c., a.c., andimpulse) are necessary for several applications like,electon microscope,
X rays, particle accelerators, electrostatic precipitators, testing of power apparatus,
insulation testing etc.,
26. A tesla coil has a primary winding rated for 10 kV with 2 µF capacitance on
primary side and 1 nF capacitance on secondary side. If the energy efficiency is 5 %,
determine the output voltage. (Apr 2019)
The expression for output voltage is given by,

3 2 *10 6
V2  10 * 10 0.05 *  100kV
1 *10 9
27. Show the types of impulse current waveforms. (Apr 2019)

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28. Why is controlled tripping necessary in a multistage impulse generator?
(Nov 2019).
In large impulse generator, the spark gaps are generally sphere gaps or gaps formed
by hemispherical electrodes. The gaps are arranged such that sparking of one gap
results in automatic sparking of other gaps as overvoltage is impressed on the other.
In order to have consistency in sparking, irradiation from an ultraviolet lamp is
provided from the bottom to all the gaps. It is necessary to trip the generator at a
predetermined time, the spark gaps may be mounted on a movable frame, and the gap
distance is reduced by moving the movable electrodes closer.

29. What are the advantages of cascaded transformer over two winding
transformer for generating high AC voltages? (Nov 2019)
For test voltages higher than 400 KV, a single unit construction becomes difficult and
costly due to insulation problems. Moreover transportation and erection of large
transformers become difficult. These drawbacks can be overcome by using cascaded
transformer generating high AC voltages.
PART B(C401.3)
1.(i)Why is Cock croft –Walton circuit preferred for voltage multiplier circuits?
Explain its working with a schematic diagram when it is unloaded and loaded. (ii)
Derive an expression for total voltage drop and total ripple voltage of n-stage voltage
multiplier circuit and hence deduce the condition for optimum number of stages.
(April 2014, Dec 2016, Apr 2019, Nov 2019).
2.i) Mention the necessity of generating high DC voltages. ii) Describe with a neat
sketch the working of a Van De Graff generator. What are the factors that limit the
maximum voltage obtained?(May 2013, Nov 2014, Dec 2016,May 2016, May 2017,
Dec 2017, April, Nov 2018, Apr 2019, Nov 2020).
[Link] is the principle of operation of a resonant transformer? How is it advantages
over the cascade-connected transformer? Explain the basic principle of operation of
an electrostatic generator.(May 2011,May 2016,2018)
[Link] are damped high frequency oscillation obtained from a Tesla coil?
Explain.(Dec 2012, Dec 2017)
[Link] the Marx circuit arrangement for multistage impulse generators. How is the
basic arrangement modified to accommodate the wave time control resistances? (May

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2011, Nov 2015, Nov 2019, 2020).
[Link] the different methods of producing switching impulses in test laboratories.
Draw the typical impulse current generator circuit and explain its operation and
applications.(May 2011).
7.A Cockcroft-Walton type voltage multiplier has eight stages with capacitances, all
equal to 0.05 µF. The supply transformer secondary voltage is 125 kV at a frequency
of 125 Hz. If the load current to be supplied is 4.5 mA, find (a) the percentage ripple,
(b) the regulation, and (c) the optimum number of stages for minimum regulation or
voltage drop.(May 2011, May 2015, May 2017, Nov 2020)
[Link] tripping and control of impulse generators with Trigatron gap
arrangements. How are the wavefront and wavetail time controlled in impulse
generator circuits?(Dec 2012, Nov 2015, Nov 2018, 2020)
[Link] is a cascaded transformer? Explain why cascading is done? Describe with
neat diagram, a 3-stage cascaded transformer.(Dec 2013, Apr 2019).
10.A six stage impulse generator designed to generate the standard waveform (1.2/50
s) has a per stage capacitance of 0.06 F to be used to test transformers with an
equivalent winding to earth capacitance of 1nF. A peak output voltage of 550kV is
required for testing the transformer. The wavefront time is to be defined based on
30% and 90% values. With the aid of appropriate calculations select the values of the
resistive elements in the circuit to produce the required waveform. State any
assumptions made. (May 2015)
11. (i) An impulse generator has 8 stages with each condenser rated for 0.16
microFarad and 125kv. The load capacitor available is 1000pf. Find the series
resistance and the damping resistance needed to produce 1.2/50 microsecond impulse
wave .What is the maximum output voltage of the generator if the charging voltage is
120 kv ?
(ii) What are the essential parts of an impulse current generator?(May 2016) (April
2018)
[Link] the working principle of parallel resonant transformer. (Apr 2019)
13. A ten-stage impulse generator has 0.250 µF condensers. The wave front and the
wave tail resistances connected are 75 ohms and 2600 ohms respectively. If the load
condenser is 2.5 nF, find the front and tail times of the impulse wave produced. (Apr

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2019)
14. Explain the principle of operation of resonant transformer for generating high
alternating voltages. (Nov 2019)
15. With a neat circuit diagram, explain any one method of generating switching
surges in HV laboratory. (Nov 2020)
16. A 100 kVA 250 V/200 kV feed transformer has resistance and reactance of 1%
and 5% respectively. This transformer is used to test a cable at 400 kV at 50 Hz. The
cable takes a charging current of 0.5 A at 400 kV. Determine the series inductance
required. Assume 1% resistance of the inductor. Also determine input voltage to the
transformer. Neglect dielectric loss of the cable. (Nov 2020)

UNIT IV - MEASUREMENT OF HIGH VOLTAGES AND HIGH CURRENTS

PART-A(C401.4)
1. Mention the techniques used in impulse current measurements.(Dec 2017,
April 2014)
The techniques used in impulse current measurements are,
Resistive shunts:(a) Bifilar flat strip design (b) coaxial tube or Park's shunt design, and
(c) coaxial squirrel cage design.
Other techniques:Hall generators, Faraday generators and current transformers.
[Link] the problems associated with bifilar strip shunt design.
The bifilar stripshunt suffers from stray inductance associated with resistance element
andits potential leads are linked to a small part of the magnetic flux generated by
thecurrent that is measured.
[Link] the different ways in which the stray effect is reduced in resistance
shunt? (or) What are the different types of resistive shunts used for impulse
current measurements? (Nov 2019)
The different ways in which the stray effect is reduced in resistance shunt are,
 Bifilar flat strip design
 Co-axial tube or park’s shunt design
 Co-axialsquirrel cage design.
[Link] the advantages of Sphere gaps.

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They are used for voltage measurements. They are suitable for all typesofwaveforms
from d.c to impulse voltages of short times. They are used for radio frequencya.c
voltage peak measurements upto 1 MHz.
[Link] the advantages of magnetic potential transformers.
The advantages of magnetic potential transformers are simple in construction and
designed for any operating voltage by cascading the transformers. Potential
transformers (PT) do not permit fast rising transient or high frequency voltages along
with the normal supply frequency.
6. How is an electric field is measured?
It is measured by introducing a small fixed capacitance probe into the field area and
measuring the induced charge on it. The magnitude of the electric field is simply
defined as the force per charge on the test charge.

7. Mention the devices used to measure the D.C electric field strength.
The devices used to measure the D.C electric field strength are,
a)Variable capacitor probe
b)Vibrating plate capacitor.
8. Give the advantages of generating voltmeters. (Apr 2019)
 No source loading by the meter,
 No direct connection to high voltage electrode,
 Scale is linear and extension of range is easy, and
 A very convenient instrument for electrostatic devices such as Van de Graaff
generator and particle accelerators.
[Link] the porosity test on insulators.
The insulator is broken and immersed in a 0.5 % alcohol solution under a pressureof
13800 kN/sq.m for 24 hours. The broken insulator is taken out and further broken.
Itshould not show any sign of impregnation.
10. Why is the cable meant for A.C system to be tested with DC supply?
Cables are tested for power frequency AC and DC voltages. During manufacture
theentire cable is passed through a higher voltage test and the rated voltage to check
thecontinuity of cable. High voltage dc of 1.8 times the rated dc voltage of negative
polarityfor 30 minutes is applied and cable is set to have no failure.

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[Link] electrostatic voltmeterhas two parallel plates. The movable plate is 10 cm
in diameter. With 8 kV between the plates the pull is 5x10-3N. Determine the
change in capacitance for a movement of 1mm of movable plate. (May 2011).
2
1 -9 10
0.005=0.5* *3.14*10 * 2 *25*3.14*10-4
36 d
d = 26.35mm
8000 1 1
Change in capacitance= *10-9 *25*3.14*10-4 ( -( )) =2.5*10-12F
36 26.35 27.35

[Link] is the effect of nearby earthed objects on the measurements using

sphere gaps?(May 2011).
The spark over voltage is reduced due to the presence of nearby earthed objects.
B
Voltage reduction,∆V=mlog +C
D

Where, B – diameter of earthed enclosing cylinder, D – diameter of the spheres

C – gap distance between spheres, m,c– constants
13. Define CVT. (May 2013)
CVT meant for capacitive voltage transformer. It is defined as the capacitive
voltage transformer step-down the high voltage input signals and provide the low
voltage signals which can easily measure through the measuring instrument. The
Capacitive voltage transformer (CVT) is also called capacitive potential transformer
14. Explain the basic principle of Hall generator. (Dec 2012)
It is based on the principle of hall effect. Whenever electric current flows through a
metal plate located in a magnetic field perpendicular to it, Lorentz forces will deflect
the electrons in the metal structure in a direction normal to the direction of both
currents and magnetic field. The charge displacement generates an emf. This is called
Hall voltage. VH α BI/d
[Link] some advantages of Faraday generator. (Dec 2012, Dec 2016)
 There is no electric connection between the source and the device.
 No thermal problems even for large currents of several kilo amperes.
 There is no insulation problem, as the signal transmission is through an optical
system.
16. Give the advantages of electrostatic voltmeter. (May 2013)

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The electrostatic voltmeter is (i)compact and smaller in size (ii) it has high input
impedance, therefore no need to have meter protection additionally (iii) the range of
the meter can be easily changed by changing gap separation.
[Link] is the effect of dust particles on the measurement using sphere gaps?
(Nov 2013)
Then influence of dust particles as these sphere gaps are of open type, here the
metallic spheres likely to be influenced by the settlement of the dust particles or on the
surface of the spheres. So, these could initiate early breakdown and the results which
are obtained may not be the correct values. So, proper cleaning is required on the
sphere gap assembly and the final factor which could influence is effect of irradiation.
[Link] out the limitations of generating voltmeters.(Nov 2013)
 Need calibration.
 Careful construction is needed.
 Any disturbance due to position and mounting of the electrodes make the
calibration invalid.
[Link] the procedure for DC and AC peak voltage measurement using sphere
gap. (April 2014)
A uniform field spark gap will always have a spark over voltage within a known
tolerance under constant atmospheric conditions. Hence a spark gap can be used for
measurement of the peak value of the voltage, if the gap distance is known. A spark
over voltage of 30 kV (peak) at 1 cm spacing in air at 2O0C and 760 torr pressure
occurs for a sphere gap or any uniform field gap. But experience has shown that these
measurements are reliable only for certain gap configurations. Normally, only sphere
gaps are used for voltage measurements.
20. What are the drawbacks of series resistance micro ammeter technique in
HVAC measurements?(Nov 2015)
The drawbacks of this technique are (i)power dissipation and source loading, (ii)
temperature effects and long time stability, (iii)voltage dependence of resistive
elements, and (iv) sensitivity to mechanical stresses.
21. How the stray effect of capacitance potential divider is minimized for impulse
measurements? (Nov 2015)

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The stray effect of capacitance potential divider is minimized for impulse
measurements by designing proper resistive shunt in the following manner to reduce
the stray effects.
(a) Bifilar flat strip design,
(b) coaxial tube or Park's shunt design, and
(c) coaxial squirrel cage design
22. What is the principle behind the operation of generating voltmeter?(May
2015, 2018)
A generating voltmeter is a variable capacitor electrostatic voltage generator which
generates current proportional to the applied external voltage. The device is driven by
an external synchronous or constant speed motor and does not absorb power or energy
from the voltage measuring source.
23. What are the differences between a high voltage testing transformer and a
power transformer? (May 2015)
A high voltage testing transformer (a)gives an output of pure sine wave, (b) power
requirements are less (5 to 10% of total kVA required),(c) no high-power arcing and
heavy current surges occur if the test object fails,as resonance ceases at the failure of
the test object,(d) cascading is also possible for very high voltages,(e) simple and
compact test arrangement, and(f) no repeated flashovers occur in case of partial
failures of the test object andinsulation recovery. It can be shown that the supply
source takes Q numberof cycles at least to charge the test specimen to the full voltage.
Power transformers are generally used in transmission network for stepping up or
down the voltage level. It operates mainly during high or peak loads and has
maximum efficiency at or near full load.
24. What are the advantages of generating voltmeter? (Dec 2016)
The advantages of generating voltmeter are,
i) No source loading by the meter,
ii) No direct connection to the high voltage electrode,
iii) Scale is linear and extension of range is easy, and
iv) A very convenient instrument for electrostatic devices such as Van de
Graaffgenerator and particle accelerators.
25. Draw the schematic diagram of generating voltmeter. (May 2016)

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26. What are the advantages of digital techniques in high voltage measurements?
(May 2016, Apr 2019)
Digital techniques are useful because it is easier to get an electronic device to switch
into one of a number of known states than to accurately reproduce a continuous range
of values.
[Link] are the advantages of CVT measurements in HVAC ? (Dec 2017, 2018)
(i) Simple design and easy installation,
(ii) Can be used both as a voltage measuring device for meter and relaying purposes
and also as a coupling condenser for power line carrier communication and relaying.
(iii) Frequency independent voltage distribution along elements as against
conventional magnetic potential transformers which require additional insulation
design against surges.
(iv) Provides isolation between the high voltage terminal and low voltage metering.
28. For what measurement are Hall generators normally used? (Nov 2018)
The principle of the "Hall effect" is made use of in measuring very high direct
currents. Hall generators can be used to measure current, power, position, number of
revolutions and pressure as well as for multiplication of two input signals, for
brushless DC motor control, as a contactless switch and applications in the automotive
industry.
29. Give the requirements of an oscilloscope used for impulse and high frequency
high voltage requirements. (Nov 2019).
The cathode ray oscilloscope for impulse work normally has input voltage range from
5 mV/cm to about 20 V/cm. In addition, there are probes and attenuators to handle
signals up to 600 V (peak to peak). The bandwidth and rise time of the oscilloscope
should be adequate. Rise times of 5 ns and bandwidth as high as 500 MHz may be
necessary.

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30. Why are the capacitive voltage dividers preferred for high AC voltage
measurements ? (Nov 2020)
The capacitive voltage dividers can be used to eliminate errors due to harmonics with
an electrostatic voltmeter or a high impedance meter. It requires high impedance
meter like electrostatic voltmeter.
31. What are the requirements of a digital storage oscilloscope for impulse and
high frequency measurement? (Nov 2020)
The requirements of a digital storage oscilloscope for impulse and high frequency
measurement are acquisition memory, Analog to Digital Converter and
Microprocessor for measurement purpose.
PART B(C401.4)
1. Explain with neat diagram the principle of operation of an electrostatic voltmeter.
Discuss its advantages and limitations for high voltage measurements. (May
2011,May 2016, Dec 2017, 2020).
2. Draw the calibrated Low ohmic shunt and its equivalent circuit for high impulse
current measurements. Explain the different types of resistive shunts with their
characterictics and limitations(May 2016)(Nov 2020)
3.(i) Give the schematic arrangement of an impulse potential divider with an
oscilloscope connected for measuring impulse voltages. Explain the arrangement used
to minimize the errors.
(ii) What are the requirements of a digital storage oscilloscope for impulse and high
frequency measurement in HV test circuits? (Nov 2015)
4. A Rogowski coil is to be designed to measure impulse currents of 10 kA having a
rate of change of current of 1010A/s .The current is read by a VTVM as a potential
drop across the integrating circuit connected to the secondary. Estimate the values of
mutual inductance, resistance, and capacitance to be connected, if the meter reading is
to be 10 V for full-scale deflection. .(May 2011, Nov 2018).
5. i)Enumerate digital peak voltmeter. (Dec 2012, Dec 2016)
ii)What is CVT? Explain how CVT can be used for high voltage ac measurement.
(Dec 2016, Nov 2019)
6. Describe the construction, principle of operation of a Generating voltmeter and give
its applications and limitations. (May 2014, May 2017, Dec 2017, Nov 2019).

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7. Discuss and compare the performance of resistance, capacitance and mixed R-C
potential dividers for measurement of impulse voltages. Draw the simplified
equivalent circuit of resistance potential divider and discuss its step response. (Dec
2013, May 2014).
8. Explain with neat diagram how a sphere gap can be used to measure the peak value
of voltages. Explain the parameters and factors that influence the sphere gap
measurement. (Nov 2015, Dec 2016, May 2017, Apr 2019, Nov 2020)
9. Explain in detail various techniques for the measurement of high DC voltages.
(May 2015,2018)
10. With neat sketch, explain in detail the various methods used to measure the RMS
and peak valuesof high AC voltages. (May 2015,2018)
11. A coaxial shunt is to be designed to measure an impulse current of 40kA. If the
bandwidth of shunt is to be at east 10 MHz and if the voltage drop across the shunt
should not exceed 50V. Find the ohmic value of the shunt and its dimensions.(May
2017)
12. What are the various Digital techniques used in high voltage measurement and
explain each types briefly. (Nov 2018)
13.(i) Write short notes on Mixed R-C potential dividers.
(ii) Explain the operation of Peak Reading Voltmeters for impulse voltages. (Apr
2019)
14. With an equivalent circuitand its step response,discuss how are resistance,
capacitance and mixed R-C potential dividers used for impulse voltage measurements.
Explain the arrangement used to minimize the errors in each case. (Nov 2019)
[Link] the operation of a series capacitance voltmeter to measure high
ACvoltages. (Nov 2020)

UNIT V - HIGH VOLTAGE TESTING & INSULATION COORDINATION

PART-A(C401.5)
1. What is meant by Insulation Coordination? (Dec 2017, Nov 2018, Apr 2019)
Insulation coordination is the process of knowing the insulation levels of the power
system components. In other words, it is the process of determining the insulation
strength of the equipment. The internal and external insulation of the electrical
equipment is exposed to continuous normal voltage and temporary abnormal voltage.
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[Link] creepage distance.
Creepage distance is defined as the shortest distance on the contour of the external
surface of the insulator unit or between two metal fittings on the insulator.
[Link] is the importance of radio interference voltage measurements for extra
high voltagepower apparatus?
Many electrical apparatuses like transformers, line conductors, rotating machines, etc.
produce unwanted electrical signals in the radio and high frequency (television band,
microwave bands, etc.) ranges. These signals arise due to corona discharges in air,
internal or partial discharges in the insulation, sparking at commutators and brush gear
in rotating machines, etc. It is important to see that the noise voltages generated in the
radio and other transmission bands are limited to acceptable levels, and hence the
High Voltage Test on Radio interference voltage measurements are of importance.
4. What is an isolator.
An isolator is a disconnector or a mechanical switching device used for isolating a
circuit or equipment from a source of power. An isolator is a mechanical switching
device that, in the open position, allows for isolation of the input and output of a
device.
5. Define withstand voltage.
It is defined as the Maximum voltage level that can be applied between circuits or
components without causing a break down. The voltage which has to be applied to a
test object under specified conditions in a withstand test is called the withstand
voltage.
6. What is the function of surge arrester?
A surge arrester is a device to protect electrical equipment from over-voltage
transients caused by external (lightning) or internal (switching) events. Also called
a surge protection device (SPD) or transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS), this
class of device is used to protect equipment in
power transmission and distribution systems. It is capable of discharging 10 to 20 KA
of long duration surges and 100 to250 KA of short duration surge currents.
[Link] the characteristics of the spray used in wet flashover test. (Nov 2013)
The characteristics of the spray are
 Precipitation rate : 3 ± 10% (mm/min)
 Direction : 45° to the vertical
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 Conductivity of water : 100 micro Siemens ± 10%
 Water temperature : ambient ±15°C
[Link] partial discharge.(Dec 2012)
A partial discharge (PD) is an electrical discharge or spark that bridges a small portion
of the insulation between two conducting electrodes. Partial Discharge can happen at
any point in the insulation system, where the electric field strength exceeds the
breakdown strength of that portion of the insulating material.
9. What is meant by circuit breaker.
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect
an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current from an overload or short
circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow after a fault is detected. Unlike
a fuse, which operates once and then must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset
(either manually or automatically) to resume normal operation.
10. What do you mean by radio interference?
Electromagnetic interference (EMI), also called radio-frequency interference (RFI)
when in the radio frequency spectrum, is a disturbance generated by an external
source that affects an electrical circuit by electromagnetic induction, electrostatic
coupling, or [Link] disturbance may degrade the performance of the circuit
or even stop it from functioning. In the case of a data path, these effects can range
from an increase in error rate to a total loss of the data.
[Link] is impulse with-stand voltage test conducted? (April 2014)
This test is done by applying standardimpulse voltage of specified value under dry
conditions with both positive andnegative polarities of the wave. If five consecutive
waves do not cause a flashover orpuncture, the insulator is deemed to have passed the
test. If two applications causeflashover, the object is deemed to have failed. If there is
only one failure, additionalten applications of the voltage wave are made. If the test
object has withstand thesubsequent applications, it is said to have passed the test.
12. Define 50% flashover voltage. (Dec 2016)
This is the voltage which has a probability of 50% flashover, when applied to a
testobject. This is normally applied in impulse tests in which the loss of
insulationstrength is temporary.
[Link] 100 % flash over voltage.

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The voltage that causes a flashover at each of its applications under specified
conditions when applied to test objects is specified as hundred per cent flashover
voltage.
14. State two standard tests to be conducted on HV Transformers.(May 2016)
The two standard tests to be conducted on HV Transformers are,
 Induced over voltage test
 Partial discharge test
[Link] out various tests to be carried out on insulator and give a brief account of
each test.(May2011)
High voltage test include power frequency test and impulse tests. These tests are
carried out on all insulators. (i) 50% dry impulse flashover test (ii) impulse withstand
test (iii) dry flashover & dry one minute test (iv) wet flashover test (v) temperature
cycle test(vi) electromechanical test (vii) porosity test(ix)puncture test (x) mechanical
routine test.
16. What are significance of power factor test? (May 2011).
High voltage scheringbridge is used to perform dielectric power factor test on the
cable sample. The power factor is measured for different values of voltages eg
0.5,1,1.5,2 times of rated operating voltages. The maximum value of power factor at
normal working voltage does not exceed a specified voltage at a series of temperatures
ranging from 15 to 650C .
[Link] to find and locate the fault during impulse testing of transformer. (Dec
2012)
Fault can be located by any one of the following methods:
General observation, voltage oscillogram method, neutral current method, and
transformer surge current methods.
18. What is the type and routine test? (May 2013 ,May 2015)
The type test is conducted on the sample to test the quality of the material with which
the component is made. Routine test is conducted on the equipment or component
periodically to check the deterioration in the quality during operation.
19. Define safety margin as applied to insulation coordination. (Nov 15) (Apr18)
The Safety margin is defined by selecting the risk of failure, the statistical safety
factor and by firing the withstand level of any equipment or apparatus corresponding

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to 90% or 95% of the withstand voltage.

20. Calculate the correction factor for atmospheric conditions, if the laboratory
temperature is 37oC, the atmospheric pressure is 750 mmHg and the wet bulb
temperature is 27oC.(May 2015, 2018)
0.296b
Air density correction factor, d= for 27oC, Atmospheric pressure in mbar, b =
273+T

999.91mbar, T=370Cthen d= 0.954

21. Define Disruptive discharge voltage.(Nov 2013, May 2016, Dec 2017)
It is defined as the voltage which produces the loss of dielectric strength of
aninsulation. It is that voltage at which the electrical stress in the insulation causes
afailure, which includes the collapse of voltage and passage of current. In solids,
thiscauses a permanent loss of strength, and in liquids or gases only temporary loss
maybe caused. When a discharge takes place between two electrodes in a gas or a
liquidor over a solid surface in air, it is called flashover. If the discharge occurs
through asolid insulation it is called puncture.
22. What is BIL?(May 2015)(Nov 2020)
BIL is an abbreviation for Basic Insulation Level. Insulation levels in electrical
equipment are characterized by the withstand voltages used during the impulse test. It
is defined as the minimum insulation impulse withstands voltage of any power
equipment orapparatus. The BIL of a power system is usually chosen as 25% to 30%
more than the protective levelOffered by the protective devices.
23. Distinguish between flashover and puncture. (April 2014, Nov 2015, April
2018)
When a discharge takes place between two electrodes in a gas or a liquidor over a
solid surface in air, it is called flashover. If the discharge occurs through asolid
insulation it is called puncture.
24. What are the tests need to be conducted on the power transformer. (Dec
2016)
The tests conducted on the power transformer are basically Type tests and Routine tests.
Some other tests are i) Induced overvoltage test ,ii) Partial discharge test,iii) Impulse
voltage test
25. List out the various Electrical tests to be carried out for bushings. (May 2017,
Nov 2018)
(i) Power Factor Test, (ii) Impulse Withstand Test, (iii) Chopped Wave and Switching

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Surge Test(iv) Partial Discharge Test

26. Define Air Density Correction factor. (May 2017)
The electrical characteristics of the insulators and other apparatus are normally
referred to the reference atmospheric conditions. Its alititude and temperature
increases, the weight of the air decreases. To determine the actual amount of air being
delivered through a system, air density correction factor is used which is given by,

27. Write the standard atmospheric conditions for HV testing as per the Indian
Standard. (Apr 2019, Nov 2019)
The standard atmospheric conditions for HV testing as per the Indian Standard are:
Temperature : 270C
Pressure : 1013 millibars (or 760 torr)
Absolute humidity : 17 gm/m3
28. What are volt time curves? (Nov 2019)
In order for an insulation media to breakdown, the following requirements are needed:
a) The existence of at least one free electron to start the ionization process.
b) Enough voltage to cause ionization and avalanche formation.
c) Enough time to complete the breakdown process.

29. How is salt-fog test conducted on insulators ? (Nov 2020)

In this test, the maximum normal withstand voltage is applied on the insulator and then

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artificial salt fog is created around the insulator by jets of salt water and compressed air. If
the flashover occurs within one hour, the test is repeated with fog of lower salinity,
otherwise, with a fog of higher salinity. The maximum salinity at which the insulator
withstands three out of four tests without flashover is taken as the representative figure.
PART –B(C401.5)

[Link] are the different power frequency tests done on insulators? Mention the
procedure for testing.
[Link] are the significance of power factor tests and partial discharge tests on
bushings? How are they conducted in testing laboratory?
[Link] the method of impulse testing of high voltage transformers. What is the
procedure adopted for locating the failure.(May 2011, Nov 2015, May 2015, Dec
2016,May 2016, May 2017, 2018, 2019, Nov 2019).
[Link] is synthetic testing advantages over the other testing methods for short circuit
tests? Give the layout for synthetic testing. (May 2017)
5. Explain the importance of RIV measurements for EHV power apparatus. Explain,
with a neat schematic diagram, one method of measuring RIV of Transmission line
hardware.
[Link] the different high voltage tests conducted on bushings. (Dec 2012, May
2015, Nov 2020)
[Link] the various tests conducted in high voltage insulators.(May 2013, May
2014, May 2015, Nov 2018)
[Link] the various tests conducted in high voltage cables.(May 2013, May 2014)
[Link] the various tests to be carried out on a circuit breaker.(Nov 2013,2016,
2020)
10. Explain the different aspects of insulation design and insulation co-ordination
adopted for EHV systems. (May 2011, Nov 2013,Nov 2015, May 2015,May 2016,
May 2017,Apr2018, Dec 2017, Nov 2019)
11. Explain the direct and synthetic testing of isolators and Circuit breakers in detail.
(Dec 2017, Apr 2019)
12. Explain the different high voltage tests conducted on bushings. (Nov 2018)
[Link] is the significance of impulse tests? Briefly explains the impulse testing of
insulators.

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14. With a neat diagram, explain the procedure of synthetic testing of circuit breakers.
Also give its advantages over other testing methods for short circuit test. (Nov 2019)
15. Discuss the arrangement, procedure and specification of water for conducting
impulse voltage wet withstand test on insulator. (Nov 2019)

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