A Novel Approach to Prediction of the Transient Recovery Voltages in Shunt Reactor Circuit-Breakers and Determination of Hazardous Operation in High-Voltage Transmission Systems

The study of electromagnetic transient phenomena plays a crucial role in the planning, operating, and maintenance of power systems, particularly with respect to insulation coordination. This paper focuses on the challenges of switching overvoltages in high-voltage systems with focus on those involving shunt reactors, which are prone to frequent switching. A primary concern is the transient recovery voltage (TRV) experienced by circuit breakers during interruptions, which can significantly impact system reliability and equipment safety. We introduce a novel approach to predict and analyze TRV in shunt reactor circuit-breakers by incorporating specific mitigation techniques such as the addition of resistance and grading capacitors. These techniques are demonstrated to effectively reduce TRV levels, enhancing the operational safety and reliability of high-voltage transmission systems. This contribution, critical to advancing the field of power system transients, provides a significant improvement over traditional methods by offering a refined model for TRV assessment and mitigation. The effectiveness of these methods is validated through detailed simulation studies using PSCAD, considering various operational scenarios that reflect real-world conditions.