T. Suwanasri, M. T. Hlaing and C.

Suwanasri / GMSARN International Journal 8 (2014) 1 - 6

Failure Rate Analysis of Power Circuit Breaker in High

Voltage Substation

Thanapong Suwanasri, May Thandar Hlaing and Cattareeya Suwanasri

Abstract— This paper proposes the failure rates of power circuit breakers at the system voltage level of 115kV for
control and protective system in power substation. Firstly, the recorded failure data of the existing power circuit
breakers in the high voltage substations are analyzed. Secondly, the data analyzes are performed such as the
classification of different failure types by separating three main groups such as live parts and insulation, control parts,
and operating mechanism parts during the failure event year period from 1989 to 2011 including the total number of
failed 607 power circuit breakers. Finally, failure rates and mean time between failures (MTBF) for all components in
each main part can be estimated by using Weibull distribution technique is discussed for improving the reliability of the
high voltage substations such as correct maintenance schedule or renovation tasks of equipment. The proposed method
can also used with other high voltage equipment in the power system.

Keywords— Age, failed types, failure rate, failure statistic, power circuit breaker.

reliability evaluation purpose. Then, the correct

1. INTRODUCTION maintenance schedule or renovation tasks of equipment
with the minimum cost can be applied.
Power circuit breaker is one of the most important
protection and control apparatus in the power system. 2. CLASSIFICATION OF FAILURE TYPES FOR
It’s functions are used to sense a fault current for the
RELIABILITY ANALYSIS
control relay to operate the trip opening mechanism and
then interrupt the electric circuit for preventing the As the normal opening and closing motion of the power
power supply interruption in the power system. The circuit breakers depends on their components working
power circuit breakers with high failure statistic should capability, control, and operating mechanisms are very
be analyzed intensively for preventing unpredictable important for the performance and reliability of power
failure in order to determine the reliability of circuit circuit breakers [1]. In this paper, the components of
breakers components and system reliability. Various circuit breaker are divided into three main parts such as
numbers and technologies of power circuit breakers were live parts and insulation, control parts, and operating
installed in the power system. The deterioration of power mechanism parts. Firstly, the live parts and insulation are
circuit breakers depends on equipment quality, operation separated into two sub-components that consist of
such as load stress, maintenance, surrounding (1)main insulation to earth and (2)making and breaking
environment such as temperature, moisture, pollution, units. Secondly, control parts include (1)auxiliary
and etc. switches and associated drives, (2)contractors, relays,
In this paper, power circuit breakers at the system heaters, thermostats, fuses, (3)gas density supervision,
voltage level of 115kV including the total number of and (4)triping and closing units. Lastly, operating
failed 607 breakers during the period from 1989 to 2011 mechanism parts take account of (1)actuator,
have been analyzed. The objective of this paper is to (2)compressors, motors, pump, pipe union, (3)control
describe a method for estimating the key reliability elements, (4)counter, (5)damping device, (6)energy
parameters such as failure rate and mean time between storage, (7)mechanical transmission, and (8)no return
failure (MTBF) from recorded failure data of the device, respectively.
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) by The numbers of failed breakers for each main part are
using Weibull distribution technique for improving the 91units, 153units, and 363units respectively and totally
607 breakers are observed. According to the recorded
failed data, the most failure percentages are 52% at
making and breaking units for live parts and insulation,
Asst. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thanapong Suwanasri (corresponding author) 30% at contractors, relays, heaters, thermostats, fuses for
is with the Sirindhorn International Thai – German Graduate School of control parts, and 23% at counter for operating
Engineering (TGGS), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North
Bangkok (KMUTNB), 1518 Pracharat 1 Rd., Bangsue, Bangkok,
mechanism parts. The second are the main insulation to
10800 Thailand. E-mail: [email protected]. earth 48%, gas density supervision 27% and mechanical
May Thandar Hlaing is a Master student of Electrical Power and transmission 14% for each main part respectively as
Energy Engineering at TGGS, KMUTNB. E-mail: shown in the Figure-1 to Figure-3.
[email protected].
Asst. Prof. Dr. Cattareeya Suwanasri is with the Department of
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,
KMUTNB; Tel. +66-255-2000 Ext. 8518; Fax. +66-2585-7350; E-mail:
[email protected].

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 T. Suwanasri, M. T. Hlaing and C. Suwanasri / GMSARN International Journal 8 (2014) 1 - 6

Table 1. All Components and Their Number of Failures

No of
No. of CB failures/
Type of Components
failures years 100CB
years
Main insulation to earth 31 24472 0.127
Fig.1. Failure Percentage for Live Parts and Insulation Making and breaking units 60 24472 0.245
Auxiliary switches and
12 24472 0.049
associate drives
Contractors, relays, heaters,
95 24472 0.388
etc
Gas density supervision 26 24472 0.106
Tripping and closing circuits 20 24472 0.082
Actuator 65 24472 0.266
Compressors, motors, pumps,
108 24472 0.441
pipe union
Fig.2. Failure Percentage for Control Parts Control elements 6 24472 0.025
Counter 4 24472 0.016
Damping device 55 24472 0.225
Energy storage 35 24472 0.143
Mechanical transmissions 82 24472 0.335
No return device 8 24472 0.033
Total 607

3. METHOD FOR ESTIMATING RELIABILITY

Fig.3. Failure Percentage for Operating Mechanism Parts PARAMETERS
Weibull distribution technique is one of the most widely
used for accurate failure analysis, failure forecast, aging
and reliability [3]. Firstly, the recorded failure data of the
existing power circuit breakers in the high voltage
substations are analyzed. Then an order of failure events
is ranked. Finally, median rank F(t) or probability of
failure is calculated by Equation (1).
i − 0.3
Median Rank = (1)
N + 0.4
where “i” is the adjusted rank and “N” is the number of
failures observed.
Weibull parameters can be determined by using
straight line formula as follows.
y= mx + c
Fig.4. Failure Rates for All Components of Circuit Breaker (2)

Table 1 represents the number of failures by 100CB where, y = ln ln  1  (3)

1 - F(t) 
years for all components in each main part [2]. Their  
results are shown in Figure-4. It can be seen that the N N
most failures rate is 0.441 at compressor, motors, pumps, N ∑x ∑y i i
pipe union of operating mechanism part. The second is ∑x y - i i
i=1
N
i=1 (4)
0.388 at contractors, relays, heaters, thermostats, fuses of m=β= i=1
2
the controls parts, and the third failure rate is 0.335 at  ∑N 
mechanical transmission of operating mechanism parts N  xi
-  i=1 
∑x
2
respectively. i
N
i=1

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T. Suwanasri, M. T. Hlaing and C. Suwanasri / GMSARN International Journal 8 (2014) 1 - 6

x = ln (t) (5)
N N

∑y i
∑x i
c= i=1
-m i=1 (6)
N N
c
- 
m (7)
η=e
The Weibull probability distribution function (PDF)
represents the probability of failure at specific time (t), as
written by Equation (8).
β-1
Fig.6. Straight Line of F(t) for Control Parts
β t   t β
-  (8)
f(t)=     e η
ηη

The Weibull cumulative distribution function (CDF)

represents the probability of failure at specific time (t), as
written by Equation (9) while the reliability and failure
rate by Equations (10)-(11).
β
t
- 
η (9)
F(t) = 1- e
β
t
- 
η
R(t) = 1- F(t) = e (10)
β-1
f(t) β  t  (11)
Fig.7. Straight Line of F(t) for Operating Mechanism Parts
λ(t) = =   
R(t)  η   η 
4. STATICAL FAILURE ANALYSIS OF POWER
where β is the shape parameter and η is the life or scale CIRCUIT BREAKER
parameter. Calculating procedure of Weibull analysis involves data
Mean time between failures (MTBF) is calculated by acquisition, data ranking, data plotting and outcome
using Equation (12). interpreting. After ranking by using Equation (1), the
 1 number of failure events are known [3]. Table-1 shows
MTBF = η Γ 1+  (12) the Weibull reliability parameters, MTBF, and failure
 β rate (λ) of power circuit breakers at the level of voltage
115kV are summarized from historical record from 1989
where, Γ1 + 1  is the gamma function evaluated at the
  to 2011 which are scattering and paper-based in nature,
 β
are systematically recorded in the central database.
value of (1+ 1/β). Benefits of Weibull analysis are that it provides
The Weibull cumulative distribution function F(t) for rationally accurate failure analysis [3]-[6].
three main parts are as shown in Figure-5 to Figure-7[3].
The horizontal axis shows the values of (x) and the
vertical axis is the values of (y) by using Equations (5)
and Equation (3) [4].

Fig.8. Failure Rates for Live Parts and Insulation

Fig.5. Straight Line of F(t) for Live Parts and Insulation

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 T. Suwanasri, M. T. Hlaing and C. Suwanasri / GMSARN International Journal 8 (2014) 1 - 6

failure rate is 0.0960 (freq/year) at live parts and

insulation. The second is 0.0869 (freq/year) at control
parts and the last failure rate is 0.0777 (freq/year) at
operating mechanism parts.

Table 2. Reliability Parameters, MTBF, and Failure Rate

for Each Component

Weibull
Type of Parameters MTBF Failure
Rate (λ)
Components
β η (year) (freq/yr)

Main insulation to
1.5895 20.8894 18.8005 0.0697
earth
Making and
Fig.9. Failure Rates for Control Parts 2.3355 18.2773 16.4496 0.1070
breaking units
Auxiliary switches
and associated 1.4972 30.1995 27.1795 0.0469
drives
Contractors, relays,
heaters, 1.8873 17.8765 16.0889 0.0957
thermostats, fuses
Gas density
2.4086 23.4442 21.0998 0.0880
supervision
Tripping and
1.8178 23.1004 20.7904 0.0699
closing circuits
Actuator 3.6509 29.7327 26.7594 0.0860
Compressors,
motors, pumps, 3.1011 28.5908 25.7317 0.0818
pipe union
Fig.10. Failure Rates for Operating Mechanism Parts Control elements 2.9999 26.3143 23.6829 0.0871
The most failure rate occurs at making and breaking Counter 2.3048 11.5177 10.3660 0.1664
unit for live parts and insulation as shown in Figure-8. Damping device 2.2862 18.9271 17.0344 0.1052
For the control parts, contractors, relays, heater,
Energy storage 2.1336 21.3189 19.1870 0.0878
thermostats, fuses is the most failure occurred and the
second failure rate is at gas density supervision as shown Mechanical
1.6907 16.1716 14.5544 0.0946
in Figure-9. According to Figure-10, the most failure rate transmission
is at counter and the second is at damping device for Non-return device 2.0399 25.9740 23.3766 0.0692
operating mechanism parts.
Table-2 represents the reliability parameters, MTBFs
and failure rates for each component. It can be seen that
the most failure rates are 0.1664(freq/year) at counter,
0.107(freq/year) at making and breaking units, and
0.1052(freq/year) at damping devices .The second failure
rates are 0.0957(freq/year) at contractors, relays, heaters,
thermostats, fuses etc. and 0.0946(freq/year) at
mechanical transmission. The least failure rates are
0.0469(freq/year) at auxiliary switches and associated
drives respectively [3].
Figure-11 shows the failure rates and the MTBF for
each part of the circuit breaker. The most failure rate is at
live parts and insulation, the second is at control parts
and the least failure rate is at operating mechanism parts.
Table-3 shows the reliability parameters, MTBFs, and
failure rates for each main parts. It can be seen that the
life time of breaker (MTBFs) are nearly the same amount
Fig.11. Failure Rates and MTBFs for Each Main Part
of 17(year) at liveparts and insulation and control parts.
For operating mechanism parts is 21(year). The most

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T. Suwanasri, M. T. Hlaing and C. Suwanasri / GMSARN International Journal 8 (2014) 1 - 6

Table 3. Reliability Parameters, MTBF, and Failure Rate Table 4. Reliability Parameters, MTBF, and Failure Rate
for Each Main Part for All Components
Weibull Failure Weibull
Type of Parameters MTBF Type of Parameters MTBF Failure
Rate (λ) Rate (λ)
Components
β η (year) (freq/yr) Components
β η (year) (freq/yr)

Live parts and All 19.708

2.0676 19.0644 17.1580 0.0960 2.0695 21.8984 0.0812
insulation components 6
Control parts 1.9474 19.5946 17.6351 0.0869
Operating 5. CONCLUSIONS
2.1140 23.7381 21.3643 0.0777
mechanism parts In this paper, the total number of failed 607 breakers are
considered during the event year 1989 to 2011 which are
originated from separating three main parts such as live
4. COMPARISON OF FAILURE RATES FOR parts and insulation, control parts, and operating
ALL COMPONENT mechanism parts at the system voltage 115kV. After that,
all components failure data are combined and compared
Figure-12 shows the Weibull cumulative distribution the results.The life times of breakers and the failure rates
function F(t) for all components[3]. Similarly, Fig.13 can be calculated from the recorded failure data of
shows the failure rate and MTBF of all components in EGAT by using Weibull statistic distribution technique.
the breaker at associated voltage level. In addition, The value of shape parameter (β) can describe the
Table-4 shows the values of Weibull parameters, MTBF, failure mode of the devices, power circuit breakers in
and the failure rate of combined all components in the this paper. According to the results, the values of (β) for
circuit breaker at 115kV voltage level. Each value are three main parts are greater than 1. It means that the
2.0695, 21.8984, 19.7096, and 0.0812 respetively. failure rates are very low at the beginning and
significantly higher with increasing time. This can be
seen that the failure rates of the components depend on
the aging. The life or scale parameter (η) represents the
time for which the failure percentage is 63.2%. The
MTBF represents the life time of device, in this paper
power circuit breaker. The MTBFs are nearly the same
amount of 17 year at live parts and insulation and control
parts, 21 year at operating mechanism parts and all
components is 19 year respectively. The failure rates are
nearly the same amount of 0.09 for live parts and
insulation and control parts, 0.08 for operating
mechanism parts and all components.
Each component has its own failure rate, but the
performance of circuit breaker as a whole part depends
Fig.12. Straight Line of F(t) for Combined All Components on the state of all components. For reliability point of
view, the breaker components are connected in series, so
failure of a single component prevents proper fault
interruption and causes breaker failure. If reliability of
the components decreases, the system reliability can also
be decreased. So, the correct maintenance schedule or
renovation tasks of equipment are required for reliability
evaluation.
According to the results, the proposed method is
approximated life time of the equipment for strategy
planning on reliability evaluation. Finally, the study
results can be carried out and estimated failure rate, and
the life time (MTBF) of other high voltage equipment in
the power system.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Fig.13. Failure Rate and MTBF for All Components The authors gratefully acknowledge the Transmission
System Maintenance Division at the Electricity
Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) for supporting
the data. May Thandar Hlaing would like to give special
gratitude to Thailand International Development
Cooperation Agency (TICA) for financial support.

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