Training Course
PARTIAL DISCHARGE THEORY
TECHIMP TRAINING
PD definition (IEC 60270)
Partial discharge (PD)
Localized electrical discharge that only partially
bridges the insulation between conductors and which
can or can not occur adjacent to a conductor.
PD normally develop in air
gaps or on insulation
surfaces, due to defects in
the insulation system.
Since PD are correlated to
insulation ageing are cause
and effect of insulation
degradation.
TECHIMP TRAINING
PD taxonomy
Three basic types of PD sources:
Internal PD HV
can occur inside the insulating system defect,
such as voids or contaminants, and can
eventually trigger electrical treeing.
Surface PD
can occur in surfaces of insulating
materials if the electric field is high, and
HV
can provoke insulation tracking.
Corona PD HV
originated in correspondence of sharp tips or
protrusions or in the HV connections,
normally is not harmful.
TECHIMP TRAINING
What happens during a PD
Anode, +
The PD transfers:
E0
םElectrons to the
cavity surface acting
as anode
םPositive ions to the
cavity surface acting
as cathode
Cathode, -
TECHIMP TRAINING
What happens during a PD
This charge distribution
generates a local field
Anode, +
Eq:
םThe local field has
opposite sign to the E0
external field (i.e., due to
the external source), fE0.
Eq fE0
םThus, the local field
reduces the internal field
(i.e., the field inside the
cavity).
Cathode, -
Ei=fE0-Eq
TECHIMP TRAINING
Building the PD Pattern
םThe information conveyed by a single PD event is often
synthesized in just two numbers:
םPhase (in relation with the
AC supply)
םAmplitude (mV or pC
םWe need to evaluate some statistical indicator to draw
information from PD activity.
םIn general, the PD pattern is evaluated to compress the
information.
TECHIMP TRAINING
Building the PD Pattern
םThe PD pattern represents
the density of discharges 40
in the phase/magnitude 30
plane (third dimension).
20
240
םIt is a 3D histogram
10 220
200
180
160
140
120
240220 100
200180 80
160140 60
120 40
100 80
60 40 20
םUsually it is represented
20
through a color map
The polarity of
PD pulses is also
considered in the
pattern
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
There are different kinds of discharges, some are harmful some are
not:
םInternal PD
םSurface PD
םCorona PD
Every type of phenomena has different PD pattern and
every PD pattern help us in distinguishing the different
types of phenomena occurring in a high voltage system.
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Internal PD and main properties
HV
Internal PD can eventually trigger electrical
treeing
Main characteristics
םSymmetric (in most cases)
םPD markedly incept before zero-crossing
(as applied voltage increases)
םPD magnitudes show a moderate
dispersion
םNot affected by ambient conditions, they
can change in the first minutes of the test
(formation of conductive droplets on cavity
surfaces)
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Examples of internal PD (laboratory test)
Spherical void in epoxy Spherical void in epoxy
(low overvoltage) (low overvoltage)
Spherical void in epoxy Spherical void in epoxy
(high overvoltage) (high overvoltage)
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Examples of internal PD (measured on line)
Slot discharges Distributed microvoids
Embedded delamination in a rotating Conductor side delamination in a
machine winding rotating machine winding
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Surface discharge and main properties
Surface discharge can induce insulation tracking
Main characteristics
HV
םIn most cases symmetric pattern, but
asymmetric cases are also possible
םPD magnitudes show a large
dispersion
םIn most cases, PD start after the
voltage zero-crossing
םAffected by ambient conditions,
particularly by humidity
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Examples of surface PD
Surface PD on cable termination Surface PD on cable termination
Surface PD on stress grading system in a VPI
rotating machine with taped grading system
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Corona discharge and main properties
Corona discharges originated in the HV connections HV
are not harmful
Main characteristics
םMarkedly asymmetric, often unipolar
םVery large repetition rates
םPD magnitudes with almost no
dispersion (min and max PD levels
almost identical)
םAffected by ambient conditions,
particularly by wind speed
TECHIMP TRAINING
Different type of PD Patterns
Examples of corona PD
Needle on high voltage electrode Needle on high voltage electrode
(low overvoltage) (low overvoltage)
Needle on high voltage electrode Needle on high voltage electrode
(large overvoltage) (large overvoltage)
TECHIMP TRAINING
How to measure PD-IEC 60270
Choosing the right filter
We do have three basic types of systems
(depending on filter characteristics):
םWide band systems
ם30 kHz lower limit frequency 100 kHz
םupper limit frequency 500 kHz
ם100 kHz bandwidth 400 kHz
םNarrow band systems
ם9 kHz bandwidth 30 kHz
ם100 kHz midband frequency 400 kHz
םUltra Wide Band (UWB)
םNo recommendations given in IEC 60270
TECHIMP TRAINING
Sensors for PD detection
Sensors for PD detection (wide/narrow bandwidth)
- Coupling Capacitor
- Quadrupole (PQ)
TECHIMP TRAINING
Sensors for synchronization
Coupling capacitor and Capacitive divider
Capacitive divider and Coupling capacitor, associated to the quadrupole, can be
use to synchronize the ThechImp acquisition system.
Capacitive divider Coupling capacitor and quadrupole
TECHIMP TRAINING
Measurement circuits
Indirect Circuit
EUT
Coupling
Capacitor
Indirect
circuit
TECHIMP TRAINING
TECHIMP PDBASE II
3
Techimp PDBaseII is able to collect a large number of PD pulses and separate them according to
their wave shapes.
PDBaseII hardware is equipped with:
ultra wide band digitizer
fast sampling rate (200 MS/s)
on-board processing capabilities
A considerable number of digitized PD pulse waveforms is analysed and pulse features are stored
for a further processing.
Due to its high level features, it is particularly designed for laboratory or advanced measurement
(TDR, GPS, PWM, etc.).
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It is certified compliant to IEC 60270 for both the hardware channel and software algorithm.
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It is the instrument that exploits at most the T-F map capabilities for filtering and separation.
TECHiMP PDBASEII
PD recording & Processing Channel: 1 & 4 (up to 6 CH with Mux)
Online/offline Bandwidth: 16Khz-48Mhz (UWB Mode)
2.5Mhz-48Mhz (Filter + WB)
115Khz-440Khz(IEC60270)
Resolution: 12 bit
Dynamic Range:75dB
Input Impedance:50Ω
Input Sensitivity: <0.1 mVpp
Temperature: -5˚C to 50˚C
Humidity: 90%, not condensing
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# Power Source: 1Phase supply
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Certifications: IEC60270 compliance for both H/W & S/W
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p Calibrator: 1-100pC
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Connectivity: Fibre Optics
Sensors : Acoustic, HFCT, TEV,UHF
