Oil Power Circuit Breaker or Vacuum Circuit Breaker

[Mora2]

Hi.

Someone Could tell me the convenience to change One Old Oil Power Circuit Breaker by one Vacuum Power Circuit Braker on Voltage System 23 KV.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dpc]

Assume you are talking about an outdoor substation breaker. Should be not be a problem. You'll need to verify new breaker ratings, but vacuum breaker will be smaller, lighter and simpler than the oil breaker.

 

[Mora2]

Thank you dpc.

Yes i´m talking about outdoor substation, also I have one metal Clad Switchgear 23 KV indoor service I have the posibility to change the old circuit breaker but now the oil circut breaker is working with out problems is it convenient change the circut breaker? I Know tha I have verify the ratings but, is there some technical reason to recommend the change?

Thaks again

 

[dpc]

I'd find some excuse. Oil breakers are a maintenance headache compared to vacuum breakers. No oil to leak, no oil to test, no oil to catch fire,

 

[switchgearman]

Depending on the size and manufacturer there maybe a rollin replacement, or the size might allow a cell and drawout 27Kv vacuum breaker fit in existing space. Many of the major manufacturers can do this type of modification.

 

[RalphChristie]

is there some technical reason to recommend the change?

I'd find some excuse.

Well, I fully agree with dpc. I think I would also find some excuse to change the oil breakers.

The trend today is to move away from oil and to use either SF6 or vacuum. It seems as if vacuum is been used a little more on MV-systems than SF6. If you'll do a search on this site (

http://www.eng-tips.com)

or on the net, you'll find a lot of useful info regarding the different mediums. Personally I am leaning more towards SF6, but vacuum have improved a lot over the last few years and the prices of vacuum breakers are much less than SF6 breakers.
Oil is no longer an acceptable medium for new CB's and has been discontinued for some time and is slowly being phased out of service. Of course you will still be able to continue to operate (and refurbish / maintain) existing switchgear but need to be mindful of the age and condition of any existing oil switchgear.

Disadvantages of oil
Inflammability, especially if there is any O2 near the generated gasses.
Additional maintanance is required to ensure that the oil is kept in a suitable and adequate operational state.
Additional fire and environmental hazard with possible leakage of oil out of switchgear.
Oil breakers are not manufactured on a large scale anymore by the world's leading switchgear manufacturers. This is mainly due to the major disadvantages as mentioned above, namely fire and environmental hazard, and high maintance requirements.




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[swgrmfg]

Mr. Mora2:

Before you start changing your circuit breakers you must consider, among other things, the switching surge issue, and insulation coordination. Oil circuit breakers, inherently, have very limited switching surges. On the other hand, and whereas you can purchase now-a-days low surge vacuum circuit breakers, vacuum circuit breakers still can produce high switching surges depending on their load and surge impedances. Your oil circuit breaker must be part of an old installation. The BIL rating of your equipment might have deteriorated with time. Your insulation system could be at stake. Any dry type insulation (motors, or transformers) is at risk, specially if you do no load or low load switching.
It is imperative that you'ld consider CR-type suppressors when you do the move.

 

[Mora2]

Thanks to All.

I really appreciate your support it has been a completly a convincent answer for me.