High Voltage Substation Equipment
“In the High Voltage Substation Equipment research department, we respond to the constraints of DC networks whilst respecting the environment.”
Marie-Hélène Luton, Department Director – High Voltage Substation Equipment
We develop substation technologies to respond to the constraints of future DC networks as well as those of current AC networks. This includes using circuit breakers to clear fault currents from meshed DC networks, as well as developing interconnection nodes to transfer energy. Our circuit breaker technologies and protection strategies are designed to reduce the cost of infrastructure and preserve the stability and availability of the network.
Gas-insulated switchgear is essential to networks, yet it is currently highly dependent on sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6) – at the top of the list of greenhouse gasses – as the insulating medium. We study, model and optimise alternatives for gas-insulated switchgear. In addition, we research and implement new solid and gas insulation systems to provide enhanced electrical performance and resilience whilst maintaining low environmental impact.
To validate performance, we rely on SuperGrid Institute’s dielectric and power test laboratories. The characterisation platform enables us to define insulating material properties.
Our research projects include:
Recent publications
Thermal Measurement of Asymmetric Losses in a Submodule of an Isolated Modular Multilevel DC-DC Converter
This study experimentally quantifies asymmetric losses in an Isolated Modular Multilevel DC-DC Converter (IM2DC) submodule, showing that low-side devices can dissipate up to twice the losses of high-side devices. A thermal imaging-based calorimetric method provides accurate, nonintrusive measurements, supporting future optimization of converter design, thermal management, and reliability.
Electric Field Measurement in Gas-Solid Insulation System under Lightning Impulse
The insertion of a dielectric barrier between the conductors in gas insulation can improve effectively the insulation performance in high voltage equipment such as MV gas insulated switchgear.
Endurance Test on Nomex 410 to Assess Partial Discharge Activity under High dv/dt Square Voltage
Using endurance testing and UHF-based measurements, this study analyses partial discharge activity in Nomex 410 insulation exposed to high dv/dt square voltage and its impact on insulation lifetime in medium-frequency transformers.
