6 kV switchgear from 1944

[lz5pl]

Last month we made relay protections maintenance tests on old power station. First unit have been energized in 1949 and worked until 1970-ies. But 6 kV switchgear delivered with this unit is still in operation! Switchgear is manufactured by Metrpolitan Vickers in 1944.
Attached is small archive of photos of this switchgear. It is very interesting construction, similar to modern SF6 switchgears, but of course oil-insulated. Even busbars are in oil, as can be seen on one of photos.
Another interesting point is that all labels are in Russian language, because the complete power plant have been intended for export to USSR. Relay protections scales are also in Russian language.
It is very interesting to see in one control room relays produced in 1940-s in UK, other from 1970-s and 80-s from EAW - East Germany and recent numerical Siemens relays. And almost all of them are still in operation!

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It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant

 

[ScottyUK]

Thanks Slava, interesting to see some of the old Metro-Vick gear still in service. Are the busbars really oil-filled or are they compound-filled? I have seen compound-filled bars a couple of times; they are virtually maintenance-proof. I'm not sure if 'compound' is a British term - it's the name we've given to a horrible bitumen-based material used for jointing and filling HV cable boxes and similar applications: it's poured in a molten state and solidifies into a fairly hard homogenous mass. Removing it requires it to be melted out, which is even worse than installing it.

I sometimes wonder how the present-day 6.6kV switchgear will look in 60 years time? I doubt it has the mechanical build quality to survive that length of time.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[lz5pl]

Hi ScottyUK! It is not Slava, but anyway... It is my mistake I didn't mention that power plant is located in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is interesting story: First unit have been complete delivery (gift?) from Mr. Churchil (!) to USSR after the WWII. But Mr. Stalin desided to help Bulgaria to enter Soviet orbit and sent equipment to us. Because of that all equipment name plates are in Russian language. I was surprized to see that even main control board label is in Russian. Probably during first years nobody have been brave enough to change it with one in Bulgarian, and later simply nobody paid attention to it - it is too high over the board, outside of first look to the panels..

About busbars - sorry, I didn't ask olleagues from maintenance what is the exact construction. Compound is very possible, because there are not visible traces of oil leakages.

I also have serious doubths how many years our new equipment will survive. I have at least three substation which I commissioned in my early professional years which are now totally refurbrished. On the last project in 400 kV switcyard only steel structures remained, all primary and secondary equipment was totally replaced.

Modern relay protections definitely will be not possible to maintain after 20 years - who knos what OS will use computers then?

On the link you can see some photos of control room. Synchronizing column is still operational, but actually is not used. Operators switched it on just for the photo. Energy meters still work, but nobody reads them - there is a more modern system installed behind.

Best regards and happy New Year!

Plamen

http://www.triel.bg

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It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant

 

[ScottyUK]

Sorry Plamen, Happy New Year to you too!

It is an intersting history - I hadn't considered that it could have been supplied while Britain and Russia were allies in WW2. I love the photograph of the synchronising column. I have not seen one quite like that before. The metering panels look very familiar.

I think many of the old installations have an elegance of design which is missing from later ones, whether it be a turbine hall from the 1950s or a substation from the 1920s.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[lz5pl]

ScottyUK, you are right - busbars are bitumen compound filled. Yesterday I visited power station again and asked colleagues about that.

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It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant

 

[micalbrch]

That reminds me of the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh. It is still in perfect condition and in operation and has a wooden gear manufactured more than 100 years ago.

http://www.pittsburghtransit.info/incline.html

It takes some time till all photos are uploaded but it's pretty impressive.

 

[Zogzog]

A few years back I was involved in a volunteer project to restore an old hydro plant built by Henry Ford in the 1930's. As you can see here we did a lot of restoration to the building but have not yet finished the generation part of it. I worked on this for 3 years along with some other great people devoting thier time.

http://www.milfordpowerhouse.com

The serial #'s on the breakers are 1,2,3, and 4. 4600V Westinghouse switchgear, you can see it in the photos. The date on the gear is 3-30-28, I know this because the nameplate is sitting on my desk.