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Test Facilities & Laboratories

Test Facilities & Laboratories

MGC, as HV transformer bushings, wall bushings and busbars manufacturer, owns three high-voltage test laboratories for application between 1 kV and 800 kV / 50 Hz.

Each product is tested as the last step of manufacturing process before packaging.

Two Impulse generators allow lightning (BIL) and switching (SIL) impulse withstand tests up to 2’200 kV.

A separate test place is available for temperature rise tests and mechanical tests like cantilever withstand tests.

On agreement between MGC and purchaser, all tests can be performed on presence of customer or any representative. A more flexible supervision via video-conference is also possible.

Routine Tests 

The equipment permits to test all types of bushings (air-to-air, oil-to-air, oil-to-oil, oil-to-SF6) as per newest IEC 60137 and IEEE C57.19.00 and IEEE C57.19.01:

  • Measurement of capacitance, using Omicron Tando system
  • Measurement of loss factor (tan d or tand), using Omicron Tando system
  • Measurement of partial discharges (PD) as per IEC60270, using Omicron MPD system. Ground noise level <1 pC (bushings) and <3 pC (busbars up to 30 nF capacitance)
  • Tightness test at flange

Type Tests

MGC validates all new designs by type tests, as required by IEC and/or IEEE standards:

  • Dry or wet power frequency withstand test up to 800 kV
  • Lightning Impulse withstand test (BIL) up to 2.2 MV (full and chopped waves)
  • Dry or wet Switching Impulse withstand test (SIL) up to 1.5 MV
  • Long duration withstand test
  • Cantilever load withstand test up to 20’000 N
  • Temperature rise test up to 8’500 A

DC Tests

MGC developed partnerships with HAEFELY (Basel, Switzerland) and PFIFFNER Germany (Itzehoe, Germany) to test bushings under DC voltage, in accordance with IEC/IEEE 65700:

  • DC applied voltage withstand test
  • Polarity Reversal test

Special Tests

Specific customer requirements can be applied additional to or instead of IEC and IEEE standard test requirements, in agreement between manufacturer and purchaser:

  • Another standard (CAN/CSA-C88.1, ETG, …)
  • Specific customer requirements (BKW, SGB-Smit, Transgrid, …)

Some other specific tests have already been performed in specialized test labs:

  • Internal arcing test
  • Short-circuit test
  • Seismic test (time history shake-table test)
  • Climatic tests (temperature cycles)
  • Salt fog withstand test