High Voltage Testing

Team 5: Justin Bauer, Matt Clary, Zongheng

Pu, DeAndre Dawson, Adam McHale

Presentation Content

Introduction
Basics
Defining High Voltage
Risk Factors
Safety
Issues with High Voltage

Short-Circuiting
Dielectric Breakdown
Arcing

Project Relevance
How to Mitigate Issues

Tesla Coil
Van de Graaff
Further Precautions

Introduction
High Voltage is typically just electrical
energy at voltages high enough to inflict pain
or even death to living organisms. High
Voltage Testing is the utilization of
breakdown, conductivity, polarization, and
dielectric losses in electrical insulations in
the presence of electric fields.

High Voltage Testing Basics

Safety
Safety Glasses
Gloves
HV Suit

Technique
High voltage power lines
Grounding System
Tie grounding straps from jacket & pants together

Defining High Voltage

How to determine high voltage
Possibility of causing a spark in the air
Danger of electric shock by contact or proximity
According to Internal Electrotechnical Commission, high voltage is
defined as:
> 1000 Vrms for AC
> 1500 V for DC
Definition may differ based on context
Some organizations consider > 600 V high voltage
General public considers 100-250 V high voltage

Risk Factors

Voltages over ~50 V can cause a dangerous amount of current to flow

through human body
Can cause heart fibrillations
Wet skin decreases resistance, increasing current
Burns can occur
Strong electric fields can produce sparks
Can potentially arc to anyone standing in the vicinity
Arc flashes, electrical explosions due to a low impedance connection to
ground
Max temperature can exceed 10,000 kelvin
Can cause severe injury to workers

Safety in High Voltage Operations

Safety precautions in high voltage operations

are similar to that of lower-level voltages.
Shorting a large difference in electrical
potential induces current
< 100mA : pain, muscle contractions, and
upset breathing
100 200 mA through the human heart
causes heart fibrillations
Power is dissipated in the form of heat
Often leads to burn injuries

Short-Circuiting
Electrical connection is made
between two positions of drastically
different electrical potential
Large influx of current through
shorted path
Floating remaining electrically
connected to position of high
voltage but disconnected from
ground
Birds on power lines

Dielectric Breakdown
Voltage builds up across a
gaseous medium
Surpasses dielectric strength
and the medium begins to
become ionized
Conductivity of medium rises
Insulators may become
conductors
Current passes through medium,
further sustaining ionization
Principle of lightning strikes

Arcing
Dielectric breakdown on smaller
level than lightning strikes
Pulses of current through relatively
small gap of air
Common household static electricity
May ignite flammable gases or
liquids
May damage or interfere with
electrical equipment
Principle of operation of Van de
Graaff Generator

Project Relevance
Lightning can generate up to 100 million
volts
Not reachable given normal lab equipment
Small scale machines with similar
characteristics are used (Tesla Coil and Van
de Graaff Generator)
High voltage test procedures still apply

Project Test Equipment

Tesla Coil

kV to MV range
large currents (above 20A)
Cannot be within 10 ft.
radius

Van de Graaff Generator

2-3kV generated
averages 50 microamps
cannot cause human harm,
but may damage electronics

How to Mitigate the problems

For Tesla coil testing
Make sure metal cases associated with tesla coils
are grounded
Keep a safe distance away from the corona
discharge
Use adequate fusing to limit the maximum current on
our device
Always discharge capacitors before adjusting a
primary circuit.

How to Mitigate the problems

For Van de Graaff testing:
Make sure metal cases associated with Van de
Graaff are grounded properly
keep any other electronic devices( cell phone,
laptop, etc) away from the generator
Discharge metal sphere before touching it

How to Mitigate the problems

Proper placement of lightning
rod (highly conductive metal,
enough height, right path to
ground)
Faraday cage to protect our
detecting device
Proper ground for detecting
device as well
Safe distance

Further Precautions
High Voltage Suit

Made from Nomex aramid

flame resistant fiber & micro
stainless steel fibers

Techniques

Arm behind back rule

Lockout/tagout

Questions?

References
http://www.aharfield.co.uk/lightningprotection-services/about-lightning
Plasmasonic DRSSTC Instruction Manual
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Dielectric_strength