Investigation on X-Radiation for 126 kV Vacuum Interrupters

• Published in: Plasma science & technology 2016-05, Vol.18 (5), p.577-582, Article 577
• Main Author: 闫静 刘志远 耿英三 张胜 张颖瑶
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Conditioning; Contact; Electric potential; Emission analysis; Interrupters; Specifications; Voltage; X-rays; X射线发射; 工频电压; 测试程序; 电压调节; 真空断路器; 真空灭弧室; 辐射剂量; 辐射水平
• ISSN: 1009-0630
• DOI: 10.1088/1009-0630/18/5/22

When subjected to high voltages between opened contacts, vacuum interrupters may emit X-rays. In order to ensure that these are of an acceptable level, vacuum interrupters should comply with the limits for X-ray emission and the test procedures to be carried out to verify this based on relevant standards and specifications. In this paper, a comprehensive experimental study has been performed for 126 kV vacuum interrupters used in a transmission system to understand the X-radiation level and its influence by three main parameters, namely applied power-frequency voltage, contact gap and power=frequency voltage conditioning. The radiation instrument is an FJ347 radiometer and the X-radiation dose was measured at the power-frequency test voltage. These tests demonstrated that the X-radiation emission level for a 126 kV vacuum interrupter did not exceed the following： 5 μSv per hour at a rated voltage of 126 kV and 150 μSv per hour at a power-frequency voltage of 230 kV at 1 m distance. The X-radiation dose increased with the applied power-frequency voltage increasing and decreased with the contact gap increasing. The X- radiation dose for 126 kV vacuum interrupters decreased by 57% after the conditioning procedure with a certain power-frequency voltage. During the conditioning procedure, the average value of the X-radiation dose was 4.49 mSv, which means if a professional conditions 180 interrupters per year, it will be safe at the 6.4 m distance.