A Novel Histogram for Partial Discharge Signals in HV Insulating Systems

A technique for relating measurable electrical quantities with energies dissipated inside a void in highly electrically stressed insulation is presented. It is based on measuring, for each apparent discharge level qe, the algebraic sum of the external energy pulses of all discharges having a value qe and occurring over some cycles of test voltage. Theoretical investigations show that the results of such external energy summations are equal to the energies dissipated in the void. A novel histogram is also suggested which relates the apparent discharge amplitudes with their respective energies in the void. Experimental tests were carried out under controlled conditions with samples of thermop…

Partial Discharge Tests Using CIGRE Method II Upon Nanocomposite Epoxy Resins

Nanocomposite polymers are becoming a new family of dielectric materials with promising insulating properties. In order to apply this technology to insulation systems, a study about the material longterm endurance (life) is needed. In this paper results from comparative life tests performed upon base and nanostructured epoxy resin samples are presented. The nanofiller is a organophillic-modified ultra-clean montmorillonite. Specimens were subjected to ageing under surface discharge phenomena using a standard electrode configuration, that is the CIGRE method II. Life data and partial discharge phase resolved patterns, acquired during time under stress, are presented and commented, in order t…

On PD mechanisms at high temperature in voids included in an epoxy resin

In this paper the effects of temperature on partial discharge (PD) activity taking place inside a spherical void in epoxy resin system are studied. Indeed, some experimental tests previously performed on specimens, having different void shapes, under multi-stress condition of temperature and voltage, have shown very different PD amplitude distributions at temperatures higher than ambient. However, this phenomenon cannot be explained only by taking into account the different thermobaric conditions of the enclosed gas. In consequence of the general physical inaccessibility of such voids, a study is here performed using a numerical model based on an evolutionary optimization algorithm. This is…

Effects of 3rd-harmonic voltage content on dielectric losses of solid insulating materials

Dielectric losses in solid insulating materials subjected to voltages containing 3rd harmonics are studied. By simple theoretical analysis, some curves are obtained showing the behaviour of the ratio between the dielectric losses in the distorted steady state and in a reference sinusoidal steady state, against 3rd-harmonic content. The reference sinusoidal voltage amplitudes were selected in two different ways; namely, such as to have either peak value or effective value equal to those of distorted waveform.Separate effects of harmonic content and of effective value of the applied voltage are shown through the correspondence of every 3rd-harmonic phase angle. Percentage differences between …

Effect of a filler on the dielectric properties of an epoxy resin

The effect of aluminum hydroxide upon the dielectric properties of an epoxy resin has been studied in a wide frequency and temperature range. An interfacial polarization effect, known as the Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars polarization is evidenced for the filled resin, which shows a higher permittivity, a higher dielectric loss, and a β transition with a larger relaxation time. The glass transition temperature is, on the contrary, mostly unaffected by the presence of the filler.

Electromagnetic radiated field measurements for partial discharge diagnostic

Recently, improvements have been made in the diagnostic of electrical insulation systems by means of electric Partial Discharge (PD) standard measurements through a stochastic approach in the treatment of the acquired data: in this way, the identification of the defects as well as the separation of multiple defects simultaneously active, have been successfully performed. However, the standard PD measurement process can be affected by the well-known parasitic effects due to conducted noise whose spectrum can have characteristics similar to those of the measured signal. Moreover, the classic PD measurement system have to be suitable assembled on the Device Under Test (DUT) so determining a co…

Dielectric properties of a filled epoxy resin: Effect of thermal treatments

Dielectric measurements have been performed at several frequencies on samples of a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin filled with aluminum hydroxide. The samples were thermally treated at three different temperatures for times up to 2,000 hours. At low aging temperatures and times an improvement of the characteristics is observed due perhaps to an assessment of the bulk of the polymer and more precisely to a change in the free volume. At high temperatures and times a thermo-oxidation involving layers deeper and deeper becomes the predominant mechanism responsible of the decrease in the properties with respect to the virgin material.

Diagnosi dell’affidabilità dei sistemi di isolamento mediante l’impiego di sonde di campo elettrico e magnetico per la misura di scariche parziali

Diagnosi e valutazione dell'affidabilità di sistemi di isolamento di componenti di impianti attraverso l'applicazione di tecniche di intelligenza artificiale alla misura di scariche parziali

Microscopic and nanoscopic EVA composite investigation: Electrical properties and effect of purification treatment

This work presents preliminary results of an investigation aiming at characterization of nanocomposite insulating materials. Focus is made on size and technological process effects, i.e. dependence of electrical properties on filler size, on polymer-nanofiller interaction (e.g. intercalation or exfoliation) and, in particular, on chemical purification procedures. The materials under investigation are (EVA) copolymer filled by layered micro and nanosized silicates consisting of montmorillonite and fluorohectorite, that is, natural and synthetic clays. Microstructural characterization, using transmission electron microscopy, TEM, and wide-angle X-ray spectroscopy, WAXS, and electrical measure…

PD recognition by means of statistical and fractal parameters and a neural network

A novel partial discharge (PD) defect identification method is described. Starting with PD data on different families of specimens, a suitable set of parameters are determined and then used as input variables to a neural network for the purpose of identifying the defects within the insulation. In this procedure the statistical Weibull analysis is performed on PD pulse amplitude histograms to obtain the scale parameter /spl alpha/ and the shape parameter /spl beta/. Thereafter, the two statistical operators (skewness and kurtosis) and two fractal parameters (fractal dimension and lacunarity) are evaluated from the PD phase on the discharge epoch histogram and from the 3 dimensional (pulse am…

Dielectric spectroscopy analysis of EVA-silicate nanocomposite insulating materials

Nanocomposite materials show promising results for applications as electrical insulation. Among several materials presently under investigation, previous works indicate that polypropylene and ethylene-vinilacetate filled by nanosilicates present lower content of space charge and higher electric strength. However, efforts are needed to explain nanocomposite behaviour and characterize their electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. In this paper, the results of broad-band dielectric spectroscopy performed on ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer filled by layered micro and nanosized silicates are reported. The nanofillers consist of montmorillonite and fluorohectorite, that is, natural and syn…

Partial discharge tests using CIGRE method II

In this paper, the results of an experimental project on insulating material aging, performed in both Denmark and Italy, are reported. This study was concerned with partial discharge (PD) behavior at temperatures between 30 and 80/spl deg/C using CIGRE method II. The material tested was a commercial polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) which was chosen not for its good dielectric properties but rather because much of its discharge resistance data at ambient temperature is already well documented. A description is given of the theoretical and experimental methodology followed in this work. Mixed Weibull analysis techniques in terms of the PD amplitude and phase distribution characteristics were emp…