Application of controlled switching to 500-kV shunt reactor current interruption

To suppress reignition overvoltages caused when a 500-kV shunt reactor current is interrupted by a 550-kV one-break circuit breaker (CB), a study was carried out on controlled switching. Using a full-scale test circuit, reactor current interruption tests were carried out to obtain the relation between opening phase angle and generation of reignition. The results showed that even with the dispersion of CB operations taken into account, there were contact separation points free from high reignition overvoltages. It was also proved that no voltage escalations were caused by reignition and high-frequency arc extinction, and that overvoltages due to current chopping were at a safe level in terms of equipment insulation.