High Voltage Laboratory

Large indoor Faraday cages, testing bays and assembly bays
Dimension of Main Faraday cages:
Cage n°1 45 m x 25 m x 23 m (lwh)
Cage n°2 17 m l x 13 m x 22 m (lwh)

Dimension multipurpose test bay:
45 m x 20 m x 19 m (lwh)

LI/SI generators: 
3 MV/150 kJ; 2 MV/100 kJ; 800 kV/40 kJ

AC generators: 
1000 kV/1500 kVA; 800 kV/1000 kVA

DC generators:
600 kV/30 mA; 350 kV/8,5 mA

Low:
• PD noise < 2.5 pC
• Rain spray devices, 1800 kV chopped LI spark gap device
• Multipurpose measurement for AC, LI, SI, PD, Capa, Tan, RIV

Testing capabilities:
AC/DC cable systems, circuit breaker, switchgears, instrument transformers (CT, VT, CVT), insulators, overhead line system, bushings,…

Climate & Mechanical Laboratory

Large Accelerated Ageing Test Chamber
Dimension of Test Chamber:10 m x 7 m x 10 m (lwh)
2 AC voltage sources up to 170 kV
Accelerated ageing cycles according:
Salt fog/rain/humidity/solar radiation from room temperature up to +50ºC
Martigues Outdoor Natural Sea shore ageing test station

Several outdoor test areas with AC voltage from 2.2 kV up to 245 kV
Severe marine and industrial pollutions

Climatic and Mechanical Endurance Testing:

Large Renewed (2016) Climatic Chamber:
Dimensions of the Climatic Chamber: 15 m x 7 m x 14 m (lwh)
Temperature from -40ºC to +60ºC; Icing test, Solar radiation, Humidity
Climatic and Mechanical endurance tests on circuit breakers, switchgears, etc … and large non electric equipment (cabin, vehicle, etc…)

Cable Laboratory

Large outdoor test areas for cable system loops
• Suitable for long loop with civil works
• Pre-qualification and Type tests from LV up to HV systems / 4000A
• HVDC indoor test bayDimensions of the HVDC bay: 24 m x 21 m x 18 m (lwh)
• Type Test for DC cable or GIS system up to 1 MV / 4000A

Other cable Test facilities:
AC/DC resistance measurement (skin effect) bench up to 2500 mm²
Load cycling endurance tests for connectors up to 2500 mm²
Retraction, corrosion, mechanical benches up to 2500 mm²
Default research and PD diagnostic measurement mobile facilities

High Power Laboratory

Power Source for the HP Laboratory: 225 kV and 400 kV grids
Specifications of Main Test Bays:
• Indoor and outdoor large test bays and areas for MV and HV testing suitable for large equipment and representative setup
• Outdoor areas dedicated to large power transformers, internal fault (terminations, bushings, surge arresters), buried cable, overhead line system (adjustable towers)
• Several large assembly bays
Possible Power Frequency: 50 Hz
Max. MVA: 3200
MVA Max. kV: 420 kV
Max. kA & Duration: 140 kA, 3 sec.
Synthetic Installation: ±800 kV / 7.1 MJ
Max. kV in Test Bay from Synthetic Installation: 1000 kV

Testing capabilities:
• Short circuit withstand, making/breaking tests (direct or synthetic methods), switching, busbar transfer on circuit breakers
• Short circuit withstand test on MV and HV power transformers up to 420 kV
• Short circuit withstand test on all type of switchgears, cable sample, joints, terminations…
• Short circuit withstand tests on overhead lines, conductors and accessories, earthing devices…
• Internal fault test on cable terminations, instrument transformers, buried cable, MV apparatus…
• Power arc test on insulator strings, surge arresters…
• Direct accuracy test on instrument transformers
• Short-circuit test on surge arresters with pre-failing method

Other Testing Facilities:
• HVDC circuit breaker testing capabilities
• Experimental overhead line: 24 kV – 1 km line – 3-phases: fault detector, earthing device testing
• Experimental overhead line: 420 kV – 230 m line- single-phase : temperature rise testing, mechanical behavior (sag, tensile,…)

Heat Run Tests:
Dimensions of the test bay 15 m x 11 m x 12 m (lwh)
Up to 50 kA rms, 3-phase, 14 MVA
All type of AIS/GIS switchgears, instrument transformers, busbar, power convertors, rectifiers…

Mechanical Tests:
Tensile tests on switchgears, insulators, instrument transformers, termination

Smart Grid Laboratory – “Concept Grid”

Concept Grid is a new experimental platform inaugurated in 2013 and designed to support and anticipate the evolution of electric systems.

Its unique design places it mid-way between laboratory tests and experiments in the field, to conduct, in complete safety, complex testing campaigns that would be impossible to perform on a real network.

Main circuits:
MV and LV networks (underground cables, overhead lines), 3 secondary substations, 3 neutral point treatment, fiber optics for I&C (61850) and advanced smart functions

Sources & Loads: 
PV, wind turbines, storage systems, 5 houses, EV terminals, motor/ generator (50 kVA), 4 quadrants LV amplifier (120/60 kVA) + real-time simulation

Functions:
Real-scale studies, MV short-circuits, LV disturbances (voltage, harmonics, current, etc.), Power HIL, Microgrid, Telecommunications

Tests on:
Electric & IT equipment, Storage systems, Electric vehicles, Smart home, Smart meters, DER, Algorithms (EMS, etc.)

Electro Magnetic Compatibility Laboratory

Anechoic Chamber:
Dimensions: 7 m x 2,8 m x 3 m
In immunity, up to 30 V/m from 80 MHz to 2 GHz
In emission, measurement according to IN84 from 80 Mhz to 4 Ghz

Reverberant Chamber: 
Enclose 4,9 m x 3,7 m x 3,1 m
In immunity 200 V/m from 250 Mhz to 6 Ghz