Introduction

High voltage is used for transmission purposes where larger amounts of power have to be
transmitted over longer distances due to economic reasons and to reduce losses since higher
voltages mean less current and hence reduction in losses.
The use of high voltage is not only limited to transmission purposes, it is used extensively in
other fields as well such as military, medical and aerospace etc. From satellite communications
systems to spacecraft charge monitors, aerospace technologies require HV power supplies that
provide a stable source of high voltage under the most extreme conditions. It is also used for
water quality testing, air filtration and dielectric testing in consumer industry.
The techniques used for high voltage generation are cascaded transformers, resonant
transformers and the tesla coil.
For voltages higher than about 300 to 500 kV, the cascading of transformers is a big advantage,
as the weight of a whole testing set can be subdivided into single units and therefore transport
becomes easier. Also, with this, the transformer cost for a given voltage may be reduced, since
cascaded units need not individually possess the expensive and heavy insulation required in
single stage transformers for high voltages exceeding 345 kV. It is found that the cost of
insulation for such voltages for a single unit becomes proportional to square of operating voltage.
In the lab high voltages are generated via a DC generator whose output voltage rating is 50kV, a
HV Testing Transformer with the secondary windings rated at 150kV. High voltage pulses are
generated using a HV impulse generator that produces pulses up to 400kV.
The High Voltage lab is not only used for teaching and research purposes but is majorly used for
testing purposes. Various power devices are tested in the lab before they can be integrated in to
the system. Testing of the devices such as transformers and relays is very important because
installing a faulty equipment can be the cause of various faults and instabilities in the system. For
efficient performance our power systems must be designed with redundancy and effective
protection techniques hence testing becomes necessary.
According to Wikipedia the term high voltage usually means electrical energy at voltages high
enough to inflict harm on living organisms. Hence precautions must be taken to avoid any harms.
All the equipments in the lab are properly grounded and are operated from a region that is
isolated from the equipment. And all the devices are earthed via a rod before making any contact
with them to prevent harm to the person.
There are various HV labs all over Pakistan. The HV lab in rawat is usually used for testing of
equipments being installed in the national grid. There is also a HV lab in PEPCO Faisalabad with
highly efficient devices. UETs HV lab is very 1966
UETs HV lab dates back to 1966 and has been in the research and testing section ever since and
is without a doubt one of the most efficient labs in Pakistan.