21, rue d'Artois, F-75008 Paris

http://www.cigre.org

A3-108

Session 2004
CIGR

TEST AND APPLICATION OF NON-CONVENTIONAL MULTI-PURPOSE

VOLTAGE AND CURRENT TRANSDUCERS

H.-D. SCHLEMPER*, D. FCHSLE

ABB SWITZERLAND LTD.
(Switzerland)

G. RAMM
PTB

J. WIDMER
LANDIS+GYR LTD.

(Germany)

(Switzerland)

1 SUMMARY
IEC standards define digital interfaces and type test procedures for non-conventional instrument transformers (NCITs). National and international regulations define requirements for the design of metering systems and for protection against fraud. The paper describes the design of a NCIT for control,
protection and metering applications according to these standards. Accuracy tests require bridge circuits with digital inputs; the paper discusses their design and verification and reports first hand experience with the type test procedures according to IEC 60044-7/-8.
2 KEYWORDS
Non-conventional instrument transformers NCIT Metering Measurement transformer Type
tests IEC 60044-8 IEC 61850-9 Digital interface GIS Bridge circuit Ethernet
3 INTRODUCTION
Non-conventional instrument transformers (NCITs) for encapsulated high voltage systems have been
deployed in modular (hybrid) GIS installations in significant volumes since a couple of years [1]. Performance, cost-effectiveness and reliability have been demonstrated. In the past, the NCITs digital
data or analogue low voltage interfaces towards control, protection and metering equipment have been
manufacturer specific designs. Also, requirements (signal fidelity, type tests) were not standardized.
Today, the standards IEC 60044-7 [2], IEC 60044-8 [3] and IEC 61850-9-x [4] define type tests and
signal interfaces. Their application enables interoperability between NCITs and secondary equipment
of different manufacturers.
4 MULTI PURPOSE VOLTAGE AND CURRENT NCIT
The developed and tested NCIT is a combined voltage (EVT) and current (ECT) transducer for metalclad switchgear (GIS, DTB or hybrid switchgear). Basic information about the design can be found in
[10], here the design features are briefly summarized
Table I: NCIT ratings
as necessary to understand the implications for application and test. The NCIT covers the ratings given in Voltage transducer
Rated voltage
330 550 kV/3
Table I. The voltage and current ratings are user conAccuracy class
0.2 / 3P
figurable even after delivery. The cross section of the
NCIT (Fig.1) shows essentially a straight bus compo- Current transducer
Rated current
100 4000 A
nent for a familiar single-phase enclosed GIS design.
Accuracy class
0.2S / 5 TPE
It contains a redundant set of voltage and current
Bandwidth
1000Hz (-3dB), IEC 60044-8
transducers (primary converter). An attached elecpower metering specifications
tronic secondary converter processes the transducer Temperature range -40 C + 40C
signals and transmits sampled voltage and cur rent
measurement values via a merging unit [3] to control, protection and metering devices.
*) hans-dieter.schlemper@ch.abb.com

4.1 Voltage Sensor

The sensor uses a long-term stable SF6 compressed gas
capacitor C1 and a precision resistor R1 as main sensing
element (Fig. 2). C1 is the capacitance between the sensor electrode insert and the centre conductor, typically a
few picofarad. A foil insulates the electrode insert from
the enclosure. R1 shorts the resulting capacitance C2 in
the frequency range of interest, i.e. for 1/jC2 >> R1.
The output signal is approximately proportional to the
first derivative of the primary voltage: u2 = R1C1 du1/dt
up to 1000 Hz, cancelling the drift of C2. The secondary
converter integrates the output signal and reconstructs
the primary voltage u1. Although resistors with sufficient
long-term stability and temperature drift are available as
state-of-the art components, C1 is due to its simple, costoptimised design subjected to two major sources of drift:
(a) the SF6 gas density distribution and (b) the thermal
expansion of the electrodes. In thermal equilibrium, the
capacitance of C1 varies basically with the dielectric constant of SF6 at a gradient of 330 ppm/(kg/m3). If the temperature of the centre conductor rises, the gas density
distribution inside C1 becomes inhomogeneous and rises
in the colder areas at the enclosure. The opposite effect
can be observed, if the enclosure is exposed to solar incidence. Both effects influence C1.

Principle

Equivalent circuit
Enclosure
(Ground)
Foil
Sensor
electrode
SF6

R1 u2

u1
C1

SF6 gas
capacitor

R1

C2

High voltage
conductor u1

u2

Foil
Precision
capacitor resistor

Fig. 1: NCIT cross section

Secondary
converter

Voltage
sensor
electrode
Rogowski
coil

Fig. 2: Voltage sensor and equivalent circuit

The sensor electrode insert expands axially with increasing temperature. Thus, C1 drifts at approx. 26 ppm/K, the expansion coefficient of aluminium. Since
enclosure and centre conductor are also made from aluminium, the radial expansion of the sensor affects C1 only, if the temperature gradient between centre conductor and the enclosure changes. For
typical diameter ratios, this results in a drift of about 35 ppm per Kelvin temperature difference between centre conductor and enclosure.
The secondary converter compensates these drift effects by measuring gas density and enclosure temperature and by an on-line estimation of the centre conductor temperature with a thermal model. The
remaining uncertainty is about 400 ppm (k=3).
4.2 Current Sensor
The current sensor uses a toroidal Rogowski coil wound on an epoxy former. The coil is enclosed in
epoxy resin and electrically shielded by the enclosure. The homogeneity of the Rogowski coil is tested
after manufacturing; an inhomogeneous coil would be sensitive to radial displacements of the centre
conductor and magnetic fields from neighbouring phases. As usual at grid frequencies, the Rogowski
coil operates in a differentiating mode. Two effects govern the temperature drift of the transducer. (a)
The transfer inductance M depends on the quotient of the coils cross-section and its circumference and
increases with the thermal expansion coefficient of the resin and the aluminium. (b) The temperature
drift of the resistance of the copper wire. The secondary converter integrates the sensor signal, measures the enclosure temperature and compensates the temperature drift of both effects. The remaining
uncertainty is about 200 ppm (k=3).
5 APPLICATION OF MULTI-PURPOSE NCITS
Multi-purpose NCITs provide transient performance and accuracy for protection and revenue metering
in the same device. For revenue metering applications, national and international metrology regulations require provisions for protection against fraud and for control over legally relevant components.
The related European standards are the European Measurement Instruments Directive (MID) [8] and
the WELMEC 7.1 guidelines [7]. The following paragraphs demonstrate their consequences. According to [7], the NCIT falls into equipment category MI-003, active electrical energy meters and measurement transformers. Typically, the NCIT is installed in a locked building; the risk of fraud is low to
medium. The WELMEC 7.1 guidelines [7] recommend following protection levels for the NCIT:
Software examination level:
Degree of software conformity:
Software protection level:

Middle
Middle
Middle

Consequently, the software is examined during

type approval by the national body (NB) on the
basis of a description of the software functions
supplied by the manufacturer. It is verified
whether the documented functions are complete
and consistent.

RS232
diagnostic port
Phase L2
Phase L3
Phase L1
Primary
converter Secondary
(voltage sensor, Converter
Rogowski coil)

metering data

protection data

Merging
Unit for
Metering

Merging

IEC61850-9-1
PPS

Meter

Control and

IEC61850-9-2
Unit for
protection
The NB verifies, that the implemented software
Control &
Phase L2
devices
Protection
Phase L3
of each individual instrument is in conformity
with the approved documentation. Regardless of
minor corrections of the source code the funcRS232 PPS
tionality must remain identical to this documenConfiguration and
external time
diagnostic port synchronisation
tation. A part of the legally relevant software
may be defined and fixed at type approval, that Fig. 3: System set-up and interconnections (One of two
shall be identical to the implemented software of redundant systems shown)
each individual instrument Any modification of
the fixed legally relevant software part automatically leads to a new legal software identification and
an additional approval. For the other parts, modifications are allowed as long as the documented functions and characteristics of the approved instrument remain unchanged. The NB must, however, be
informed.

The software must be protected against corruption or intentional changes by unauthorized persons.
Either the housing of the instrument has to be secured, or the program and data memory must be secured against unauthorized removal. Functional defects that can falsify measurement values in software-controlled hardware shall be detected as far as possible. All interfaces must be reactionless, i.e.
any manipulation at the interfaces must not change the instruments behaviour.
National regulations address operation and maintenance procedures for metering equipment. Usually,
only a registered and certified metering service provider is entitled to install and maintain the metering
system. He can break and install the installation seals and he is able to verify the system accuracy. Often the utility, which uses the metering services, incorporates a certified metering service provider.
As a consequence, the signal paths for metering and for control/protection are separated. Fig. 3 shows
the system interconnections. The secondary converter sends the sampled values simultaneously on two
independent optical point-to-point links to the merging units. The merging units, mounted in C&P or
metering cubicles, merge the signals from all phases and provide a time coherent stream of samples in
a data format according to IEC 61850-9-1 or IEC 61850-9-2 (10/100BaseTx/Fx Ethernet). The data
path and equipment for metering can be installed, maintained and sealed independently from the C&P
path. This ensures that only the necessary part of the system is put under legal control (secondary converter and metering merging unit) and that operational procedures are met. The approach allows for
fail-safe features. If, e.g., the gas density measurement sensor fails, the accuracy still fulfils the specifications for protection applications. The secondary converter disables the metering data link and signals the failure but maintains the protection data path. The DSP frequently checks the program and
calibration data memories for integrity via an embedded CRC checksum. If one of the memories is
corrupt or fails, the failure is signalled and the metering and, if necessary, the protection data path is
disabled. The communication interfaces in the metering data path are unidirectional by design or properly sealed, i.e. it is impossible to modify or tamper with settings via these interfaces.
The primary converter has an expected maintenance free lifetime of more than 30 years as any other
GIS component. The secondary converter has a lower life expectancy and has to be recalibrated or
replaced after a certain period, e.g. 5 to 10 years. The secondary and primary converters are calibrated
as separate units and maintain the system accuracy if they are combined. Exchanging the secondary
converter does not require an on-site calibration.
6 DIGITAL BRIDGE CIRCUITS
Laboratories test new transformers with reference instrument transformers and ratio metric bridge circuits [5,6]. NCITs with digital interfaces cannot be directly connected to this equipment. Although it is
possible to pass the samples through a precision D/A converter/amplifier and reuse the existing
equipment, a bridge circuit with a digital input offers a better uncertainty with less effort.
The standard [3] specifies two methods to provide a time reference for each transmitted sample and
the primary signal. The first method is a fixed time delay between the transmission of the last bit of the

data telegram containing a sampled value

and the point in time when this sample was
present on the primary side. The receiver
times the reception of the telegram (fixed
delay protocol).

Digital Bridge

Reference
CT/VT
Reference
A/D converter

DFT

Af0,ref

Amplitude error

f0,ref

Af0,dut - A f0,ref
Af0,ref

Sample clock

PPS Source

Merging
Unit

Secondary
converter

synthesizer
The second method, the variable delay pro(PLL)
tocol, allows for a jitter in the data transAf0,dut
mission channel necessary e.g. for Ethernet
Phase error
Receiver
DFT
f0,dut- f0,ref
(CSMA/CD) with an undetermined carrier
f0,dut
access time. Here, the samples are numbered
ECT/EVT
in reference to an additional PPS (One pulse
Synchronised
per second) reference signal. Fig. 4 shows
Digital interface IEC 61850-9-x
the block diagram of a digital bridge circuit
for a variable delay protocol. A digital PLL
generates a clock pulse from the PPS signal. Fig. 4: Digital bridge circuit for variable delay protocols
The clock pulse triggers an A/D converter,
which samples signals from the reference transformers with analogue outputs. The reference transformer and the NCIT signal are now available as time correlated series of samples. For a series of N
samples, the amplitude of the fundamental of each signal is calculated by a power spectral estimation
(Welchs method) and a summation over an appropriate number of frequency bins as required by the
windowing function. The phase shift of each series is determined by a discrete Fourier transform. The
digital bridge calculates amplitude and phase errors from these results as shown in Fig. 4. The phase
error is corrected for the td. For fixed delay protocols, the receiver generates the sample clock pulse on
reception of the data telegram and the rated delay time is included in the phase error calculation.

To cancel noise, the bridge averages n consecutive measurements derived from a series of N samples
each, resulting in a total observation time of Nn/fs (fs is the sampling frequency). Both N and n are adjustable. The power spectral density (PSD) of the noise in the digital data stream depends on the coding of the samples for transmission and the noise PSD of the transducer signal prior to transmission.
This second component contains usually the quantization noise contributions of an A/D converter and
of DSP algorithms as well as thermal noise of the amplifier/filter electronics. Since quantizing at the
digital data interface introduces noise, it is important to know weather the resolution of the digital interface allows a sensible observation time. The standard deviation s of the amplitude error measurement value is derived from the power of the quantization noise:
2
e rms
=

1 F
2
= b 1
12 12 2

(1)

Table II: Standard deviation of the amplitude

reading of the digital bridge in ppm (parts per
million) due to quantization noise of the IEC
60044-8 / IEC 61850-9-1 coding for ECTs.

with F the full scale, b the number of bits of the

code word and the quantization step. The power
spectral density is
S qq =

2
erms

2 fs

1 F

. (2)
6 f s 2b 1

The effective noise power inside the summation

window (K frequency bins) calculates as
PK = K

fs
f 1 F
S qq = K s

N
N 6 f s 2 b 1

(3)

Protection scaling
fs = 1000 Hz
nN/fs
Level
1%
10%
100%

1 sec 10 sec 60 sec

Metering scaling
fs = 4000Hz
1 sec 10 sec 60 sec

6830.0 2159.8 881.7 136.5

683.0 216.0 88.2 13.6
68.3 21.6
8.8
1.4

43.2
4.3
0.4

17.6
1.8
0.2

with fs the sampling frequency and K the number of frequency bins used for summation. The standard
deviation of n averages of the amplitude measurement of a fundamental with amplitude A is
s=

2 PN
F 1
=
n A2
A 2 b 1

1 K
3 nN

(4)

The stability of the reading depends on the amount of data (nN) available for the PSD estimation and
the relative magnitude of the signal (F/A). Table II shows the standard deviation of the bridge amplitude error reading due to quantization noise from 16 bit integer coding [3,4] for various levels and observation times. The values show, that the scaling factors and coding resolution are sensibly chosen
and the uncertainty is sufficient to test class 0.1 NCITs.

Eq. (4) can also be used to calculate quantization noise contributions from the reference channel A/D
converter or the digitisation in the secondary converter. (Replace b by the effective number of bits
ENOB). Similar calculations/simulations are possible for the phase error jitter.
Although the digital interface resolution is adequate, the noise contribution of the transducer signal is
not adequately defined in the standards [2,3]. The standard essentially lacks a definition of the bandwidth for S/N calculation. Thus, transducers with high internal noise sources may not be usable for
metering applications nor could be tested in a suitable way. Here, the standard needs improvement.
Digital bridge circuits are not yet commercially available and had in the past to be designed and built
by the NCIT manufacturer. Fig. 5 and 6 show a screen shot of the main measurement display of a digital bridge and a picture of the assembly made from off-the-shelf instrumentation components.
7 CALIBRATION AND VERIFICATION
Digital bridge circuits need to be calibrated traceable to national standards. The calibration procedure has been developed in close co-operation
with the German national metrology institute
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB).
For calibration, the input quantities for the reference terminal EN and for the test device terminal
EX of the bridge are generated by electronic
means. By variation of these signals in amplitude
and phase, digital bridges can be calibrated in the
desired working range.

Fig. 5: Digital bridge assembly

The calibration facility developed at the PTB

generates a digital data stream according to IEC61850-9-1 synchronized to a PPS source, as well
as an analogue sinusoidal calibration signal as a
true image of the digital data stream. Voltages
between 1 V and 5 V can be realized at frequencies around 50 Hz and the phase can be finely
adjusted relative to the PPS signal in the range of
a few crad.
The principle of the calibration device is shown
in Fig. 7. Using a digital two-channel a.c. voltage
source, the constant voltage URef and the variable
voltage UKal are synthesized from a common
10MHz clock. URef is produced with respect to
the amplitude symmetric to the most significant
bit (MSB) of the digital-to-analogue converter. A
needle shaped marker pulse indicates the exact
zero crossing of the synthesized sinusoidal voltage.

Fig. 6: Screen shot of the digital bridge. Averaging

period equals nN/fs, Averages equals n

UKal can be shifted in phase with respect to URef

by programming and can be finely adjusted in
amplitude using an inductive voltage divider IVD.
In addition, the spectrum can be influenced using
a filter (3-dB cutoff frequency f0). The phase KalRef of the fundamental component of UKal with
respect to URef as well as the amplitude UKal are
determined by sampling and Fourier transforma- Fig. 7: Verification of the digital bridge
tion. The ratio measuring system RaMSys consisting of a two-channel ac voltage source and a sampling system was developed for an ac power
source and is described in detail in [11].
As shown at the bottom of Fig. 9, the test pattern generator (TPG) generates a permanent data stream.
This data stream contains calculated sampling values representing an ideal sinusoidal voltage with the
measuring frequency fm. Furthermore, the TPG generates a PPS signal with a positive at the zero
crossing of the sinusoidal voltage. As all operations of the TPG are derived via a PLL circuit from the

common 10-MHz clock, the signals PPS, URef and UKal are mutually phase-locked. Due to the synchronization signal Sync, there is only a very short (some s) and - due to the phase-locked coupling a constant time difference tS between the positive edge of the PPS signal and the zero crossing of URef
marked by the needle-shaped spike. By measurement of tS with a suitable oscilloscope, the phase
Ref-PPS = 2 fm tS between the generated reference voltage URef and the ideally sinusoidal voltage
represented by the data stream can be determined. With the phase Kal-Ref determined by the sampling
system, the phase angle Kal-PPS = Ref-PPS + Kal-Ref between the calibration signal and digital data
stream is also known then.
During calibration of the digital bridge, the TGP sends calculated sampled values via Ethernet to the
digital input EX. The data stream represents a sinusoidal voltage with the amplitude of, for example,
5 V (nominal value) "in phase" with the PPS signal. Then UKal = 5 V with Kal-PPS = 0 is generated
and applied to the analogue input EN. With these signals, an ideal bridge would indicate the values
zero for amplitude error (in %) and phase error (in crad). Subsequently, UKal is varied in a defined
way within the working range of the bridge with respect to amplitude and phase. The differences between the amplitude error and the phase error given by UKal and displayed by the digital bridge are the
result of the calibration.
In the case of simulated amplitude errors up to 1 % and phase errors up to 1 crad, this calibration device achieves smallest possible measurement uncertainties (k = 2) of 0.005 % and 0.007 crad at voltages between 1 V and 5 V and frequencies around 50 Hz.
8 DESIGN AND TEST OF METERING DEVICES WITH DIGITAL INPUTS
High precision meters (HPM, Fig. 8) fulfil all requirements for accurate energy measurement in substations with NICTs. Their communication and user interfaces have the same functionality as meters
with inputs for conventional CTs and VTs. Customers are able to use the familiar data collection systems and methods.
The general requirements, tests and test
conditions for high precisions meters are
defined in the IEC standards 62053-11
and in IEC 62052-11 [12]. They do not
cover meters with digital inputs for current and voltage. Consequently, testing of
meters with digital inputs must be introduced to the international metering standards.
Verification and test of the meter is
straightforward and only requires a signal
source that generates digital data telegrams with sampled values for voltage
and current (Fig. 9). The meter produces a
pulse with a power proportional frequency. The frequency is measured with a
high precision frequency meter via the
standardised optical test output.

Fig. 8: Block diagram of a high precision meter with digital

inputs for voltage and current

The signal source must be able to generate

accurate polyphase raw data sets from 1%
Ir to 120% Ir. Additionally, current signals
lower than 0,1% In to test the starting load Fig. 9: Principle sketch for test set-up of high precision meter
and lower than 0,02% In for the no load with digital inputs.
condition are required. The source must
also be able to generate additional harmonics, frequency drift and different load factors.
Meters with digital inputs according to IEC 61850-9-1 have been tested with a source implemented as
a programmable signal generator routine in a merging unit. Alternatively, the source can be implemented as an application program for personal computers with an Ethernet interface. Since a synthetic
sinus has a strict time correlation to the sampling clock, the quantization error spectrum at the
IEC61850-9-2 interface usually shows discrete lines and may lead to measurement errors on the meter
side. Thus, it is necessary to add non-subtractive dither (Pseudo-random white noise with an peak am-

plitude of quantization step) before quantizing the measurement values to the final resolution of the
data interface.
9 TYPE TESTS ACCORDING TO IEC 60044-7/-8
The NCIT has been subjected to a complete set of type tests according to [2,3,4]. Besides GIS specific
tests (Dielectric, tightness, temperature-rise), following NCIT specific type tests have been done:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

ECT/EVT Basic accuracy test [2,3]

ECT transient performance test [3]
ECT/EVT Accuracy vs. temperature test [2,3]
ECT/EVT Accuracy vs. frequency test [2,3]
ECT composite error test [3]
ECT/EVT combined transformer test, crosstalk [10]
ECT/EVT replacement of components test [2,3]
ECT/EVT vibration endurance, accuracy during breaker operation test. [3]
ECT/EVT seismic test (IEEE Std 693, 1.0g ZPA TRS and 0.5g sine beat test) with basic accuracy test
EMC tests [2,3]
11. Climatic and environmental tests for merging unit and secondary converter (Damp heat etc) [2,3]

9.1

Abs. Temp. (C)

Climate chamber temperature

40
20
0
-20
-40
0
Amplitude error (ppm)

Basic accuracy and temperature

cycling tests
These tests are well specified [2,3] and
were done using the digital bridge circuit
and a set of precision reference transformers mounted outside the climatic chamber.
An additional climatic chamber for the
merging unit is necessary to operate it at
the corresponding temperature limit. Fig 10
shows the test results of a temperature cycling test for the EVT.

2000

10
20
30
40
50
Secondary converter A and B voltage amplitude errors
IEC60044-7 class 0.2 limit

1000
0
-1000

9.2 Accuracy vs. frequency test

-2000
The standard requires direct tests with vari0
10
20
30
40
50
able frequencies around 50/60Hz. Laboratime (h)
tories equipped with a static frequency
converter are well suited if the frequency Fig. 10: EVT amplitude error versus temperature (2000 ppm
stability of the fundamental is better than equals 0.2%)
+/-0.1 Hz. The digital bridge must either measure the actual frequency and adjust the digital filters
accordingly or the results must be corrected for the frequency shift. The tests have been done at a test
lab in Hirschthal, Switzerland.
9.3 Combined transformer test
Since the NCIT relies on numerical compensation of thermal drift effects, it is necessary to test the
accuracy of the EVT at all relevant current load cases. Vice versa, the ECT must be tested for capacitive coupled crosstalk from the primary voltage. Since [2] and [3] lack an appropriate test, a procedure
given in [10] was adopted. The test set-up contains a high voltage source and a ring with a reverse operated conventional CT to simultaneously generate variable test voltages and currents.
9.4 ECT transient performance and composite error
The transient performance and composite error tests are direct tests and require a precision reference
shunt or current transformer cascade with a traceable calibration. A traceable 200kA shunt from IPH,
Berlin was used as reference to calibrate the test set-up. With the given temperature drift and nonlinearities, the measurement uncertainty amounts to 1.2% (k=2) which is, considering the tested error
limit of 5% acceptable. A lower uncertainty would be favorable.
Measurement of the test signals was done with the digital bridge hardware, which provides time coherent sampling of the reference CT signal to digital data stream from the NCIT. Fig. 11 shows a transient performance test at = 40ms and a peak value of 170kA.
The transient performance test in [3] was adopted from class TPY transformer tests, and refers to the
peak instantaneous error . If the lower cut-off frequency of the ECT is higher than required to transfer the transient DC component, the ECTs response is similar to a TPZ transformer. The standard

provides some guidance in this case (Appendix A), but it would be favorable to specify a test limit as
for TPZ transformers in terms of the peak instantaneous AC error ac .
5

2
Current [A]

9.5 Replacement of components test

If the NCIT does include replaceable parts, the
standards require a demonstration, that the NCIT
maintains its accuracy after replacing the parts.
Three secondary converters, two merging units
and three gas density sensors were used to demonstrate the replacement by spare parts.

x 10

Primary current (Reference and NCIT)

1
0
-1

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Maximum peak instantaneous error (MPIE)

MPIE [%]

9.6 Vibration endurance, seismic tests

Vibration endurance tests are important especially
for optical ECTs and are partly specified in [3].
Again, the digital bridge hardware was used as a
single shot recording device during breaker operations. A seismic test combined with a basic accuracy test ensures that the mechanical endurance.

-5
0

0.1

0.2

0.3
time [s]

0.4

0.5

Fig. 11: Transient performance test. MPIE: Maxi-

mum Peak Instantaneous Error. The discontinuity at

10 CONCLUSIONS
Legal regulations for metering systems require 0.3s is caused by a restriction of the test set-up.
sensible measures for maintaining the once approved accuracy/design and for protection against fraud.
Active electronic NCITs meet these requirements by means of a suitable, cost-effective system design.

Type tests according to IEC 60044-7/-8 are adequate to provide the user with a comprehensive assessment of accuracy, transient behaviour and robustness. The items that may need improvement are
The definition of the signal-to-noise ratio, i.e. the definition of the considered noise bandwidth
The definitions of transient performance requirements for ECTs with TPZ-alike characteristic.
The definition of crosstalk tests for combined voltage/current NCITs.
Type tests of NCITs with digital outputs require appropriate trusted equipment for accuracy measurements. Digital bridge circuits as described are accurate and metrology institutes are able to calibrate
and verify the equipment. A single shot recording mode facilitates transient performance, composite
error and vibration tests.
Meters with digital inputs are available and are tested by means of a programmable test pattern generator.
11

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[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

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IEC 60044-8:2002(E): Instrument transformers Part 8: Electronic current transformers
IEC 61850-9-1:2003(E): Communication networks and systems in substations Part 9-1: Specific Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) Sampled values over serial unidirectional multidrop point to point
link. IEC 61850-9-2:57/690/FDIS: Communication networks and systems in substations Part 9-2: Specific Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) Sampled values over ISO/IEC 8802-3.
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No. 2 (1999), pp. 422-426
IEC 62053-11, IEC 62053-22 Electricity metering equipment Particular Requirements- Static meters for
active energy (classes 0,2S and 0,5S)

[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]

[12]