The Development of a HVDC SF6 Breaker

A 500 kV HVDC breaker prototype for switching load and fault currents up to 2200A was designed, manufactured, tested, and delivered to the Celilo terminal of BPA for field trial. This prototype breaker was a result of integrating a HVDC SF6 puffer interrupter into a Westinghouse LWER HVAC breaker. Detailed developments are presented here including design of the components, interrupter development tests and verification tests on a single module. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility and economic viability of an SF6 puffer HVDC breaker.