Construction Smart System for Monitoring Technical Condition of Furnace Transformer Vacuum Circuit Breaker

The introduction of systems for technical condition monitoring is relevant for high-voltage vacuum circuit breakers (VCB) that switch furnace transformers. Among other parameters, these systems have to perform online monitoring of the temperature of vacuum chambers (modules) integrated into transformer phases. VCBs switch over 100 times a day due to the specifics of the production modes of electric-arc steel-making furnace and ladle-furnace units. This results in the overheating of the VCB contacts and modules and the reduction of the reliability of the unit. This article presents a method and a system of continuous VCB technical condition control based on the measurement of the vacuum chamber temperature and data transfer over the radio channel. The authors detail the functional diagram and the hardware structure of the system. The hardware set based on contact temperature sensors is justified. The system was deployed on the VCB of a 110 kV closed switchgear installed in the arc furnace shop of a metal plant. The authors reviewed the system interface and provided the temperature trends for the modules included in one of the circuit breaker poles. It is concluded that the VCB is in a satisfactory state. The results of the long-term operation of the developed system are analyzed and its technical efficiency is confirmed.