Partial discharge test circuit as a spark-gap transmitter

摘要

Partial discharge (PD) phenomena and the associated problems of accelerated degradation of HV insulation have been investigated for more than 70 years [1]-[3]. Detection and analysis of PD have become an integral part of diagnostics and condition monitoring of power plants. The aim of PD detection in plant is to prevent severe insulation faults by identifying and eliminating sources of potentially harmful electrical discharges. Electrical methods of PD detection and measurement have been successful in this respect. They can be used as online or off-line diagnostic tests. Typically, various quantifiers related to PD magnitude and repetition rate serve as the criteria in assessing the overall condition of insulation. Partial discharge source location can also be determined using discharge pulse reflectometry or by applying pattern-recognition techniques to the measured signal. The latter could include analysis of the PD pulse shape and its spectral properties, and would usually require ultra-wide-band (UWB) PD detection techniques.