Published Resources Details
Thesis
- Title
- Some aspects of the operation of circuit breakers in high-voltage power-systems
- Type of Work
- ME thesis
- Imprint
- University of Tasmania, 1952
- Url
- https://doi.org/10.25959/23236730
- Abstract
Preface:
The Australian Commonwealth Department of Supply periodically sends groups of young scientists and engineers abroad for study and research in approved fields, absorbing them into Commonwealth Departments and Instrumentalities on their return. These "Attached Scientists" are selected by competitive interview.
The author was fortunate enough to be selected, and in July, 1949, was sent to England for two years' study in power system network analysis and circuit breaker operation. The first year was spent at the Stafford Works of the English Electric Co., in the A.C. Network Analyser Section, Switchgear Engineers Section, and Circuit Breaker Testing Section. The second year was spent at the London Laboratories of the British Electrical and Allied Industries Research Association (E.R.A.) attached to the Switchgear Section. While stationed in England, visits were made to installations, and manufacturers works, in various European countries. The 1950 CIGRE conference in Paris, and several courses of lectures at Imperial College, London, were also attended.
This thesis is the result of work in England, and applications to problems encountered since transferring to the System Design Branch of the Snowy Mountains Hydro- Electric Authority on return to Australia in October, 1951.
In particular, the investigation into auto-reclosure was started at Stafford, and the long arc was studied at E.R.A. in an endeavour to fix the theoretical limits for auto-reclosure. The investigation into simplified methods of circuit reduction, and rates of rise of restriking voltage, was carried out as part of the preliminary work of a proposed large scale survey of the British 132 KV and 275 KV grids by the E.R.A., using all known methods of testing and calculation. The sections on long line and light load switching are the result of investigations at the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority into insulation and switching transient problems on the proposed 330 KV system.
In addition to expressing his gratitude to the Department of Supply, and the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority, for the opportunity to do this work, and permission to use the results, the author wishes to acknowledge the assistance given by members of the staff of the English Electric Company (particularly Mr. W.E. Scott, Head of the Mathematical Physics Section, and Mr. S. Newman of the Switchgear Engineers Section), of E.R.A. (particularly Mr. L. Gosland, Head of the Switchgear Section), and of System Design Branch, Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority (particularly Dr. W. Diesendorf, System Design Engineer).