This paper describes a novel approach to understanding partial discharge (PD) dynamics and mapping of the discharge channels in a void. During long term PD exposure, discharges develop inside channels within a void, leading to a variation in the discharge area on the void wall as well as a clustering effect. In this paper, the development of a method for identifying localized changes in the dielectric structure, through the detection of dispersed channels with reduced resistivity which occur due to multichannel discharges, is described. Discharge spots in selected ranges of surface resistivity, occurring due to the energetic impact of PD, are mapped. This mapping shows both the distribution of local centers on the surface of the specimen, characterized by a reduced value of surface resistivity. Furthermore, during aging tests this surface resistivity exhibited a progressive reduction by four orders of magnitude, justifying the occurrence of an effective discharge area in the void source. This additionally impacts PD pattern modulation and can be a possible initiation of the formation of cross channels in the bulk isolation which, in the long term, can lead to complete discharge.

This paper describes the influence of AC harmonics in HVDC systems on one of the main indicators of high voltage insulation deterioration, partial discharge. HVDC systems may be subject to various disturbances including harmonics and ripples in the form of pulsating voltages. Experiments, performed on model void specimen at DC voltage with selected superimposed harmonics, are described. A novel approach for recording partial discharges at DC, based on synchronization with selected superimposed harmonics, is proposed. In this way individual partial discharge pulses, occurring during a given measurement time, are accumulated with respect to the phase angles of certain harmonics. The partial discharge inception threshold is analyzed for cases where the DC level is held constant and the AC magnitude and harmonic frequency are varied and for cases where the DC level is varied and the AC magnitude is held constant. In addition, a long term aging test where insulating paper and resin impregnated paper was subjected to pure DC voltage and DC containing 12th harmonic 600 Hz, is described. The aging test shows that the superimposed harmonic content resulted in an amplification of partial discharge presence. By mapping the discharge spots occurring on the void surface, it is possible to quantify the level of erosion in both cases. It was observed that in case of harmonic crest voltage being below partial discharge PD inception level the DC component is crucial, however when harmonics magnitude is above the inception voltage the role of AC is dominant relative to DC. Thus, the presence of harmonics may result in a strong acceleration of the deterioration of insulating materials subjected to DC voltage.

During operation transformers are typically subjected to overvoltages with different wave shapes. Even though overvoltage protection systems, such as metal oxide surge arresters, are often employed, the overvoltages generated in power systems can still have a significant impact on the insulation systems of the windings of a power transformer. There are numerous examples of transformer failures as a result of overvoltages occurring during operation, even in cases that standard impulse voltage tests show no indication of potential problems and the transformers are protected by surge arresters. Comparisons of the internal overvoltages generated in transformers during voltage tests as well as those generated during standard operation of electrical networks provides fundamental insights into these overvoltages; insights which in turn can be used to improve the construction of insulation systems and overvoltage protection approaches and ultimately increase the reliability of transformers. In this paper, internal overvoltages occurring in the windings of selected transformer during standard voltage tests are compared with those which occur during typical operation of a transformer in an electrical power system. Overvoltages measured in the windings of the transformer form the basis of this comparison. Measurements were conducted with the transformer being subjected to voltage impulse tests, as well as transient voltages with waveforms simulating overvoltages generated in electrical power systems. In order to investigate the response of the windings to voltage strokes, full and chopped lightning voltage impulses were applied to the transformer. The waveforms of overvoltages generated in the electrical power systems were modelled as a rectangular voltage stroke, sinusoidal voltage, voltage with shape of “sweep sinus” also often referred to as a chirp signal and voltage with shape of “sweep ramp”.

This paper presents a method for determination of breakdown voltage characteristics (BDV) of a gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) disconnector. The method is applicable for modeling very fast transient overvoltages that are generated during the disconnector opening and closing operations. The method is based on full-scale measurements, as typically performed during the disconnector development and/or type tests. The method is first presented in a simplified, illustrative setting, and then applied for the full-scale measurement results obtained for an 1'100 kV disconnector design. The BDV determined is then applied for two 1'100 kV test setups as recently reported for the Wuhan (China) station. Selected test cases are simulated, analyzed, and validated with the use of the multispark modeling approach, with two BDV characteristics implemented: the nonlinear BDV obtained with the method presented here applied for the measurement results on the example 1'100 kV disconnector, and the linear BDV reported in the literature for the 1'100 kV disconnector used in the Wuhan GIS station.

Several methods have been proposed and investigated so far on mitigation of very fast transient overvoltages (VFTO) in gas-insulated switchgear (GIS). The state-of-the-art methods are primarily based on dissipation of the energy associated with electromagnetic waves that the VFTO originate from and are composed of. Present paper reports on an alternative concept of VFTO mitigation based on the principle of controlling voltage conditions preceding voltage breakdown in SF ₆ gas that leads to VFTO generation. The paper introduces different control algorithms and shows how the algorithms can limit VFTO maximum value and total number of voltage breakdowns during operation of the GIS disconnector. The concept is applied for mitigation of VFTO in ultra-high voltage GIS. As the study case, an 1100 kV test set-up is used as recently reported for Wuhan (China) GIS station, with the disconnector characteristics obtained from 1100 kV development tests.

An investigation is made of the influence of an accumulated charge sprinkled on the surface of an epoxy resin plate in corona mode on partial discharge inception and its forms as analyzed by optical imaging at DC voltage. The effects of the polarities of both the deposited hetero‐ and homocharges were investigated. The occurrence of first streamer discharges was detected electrically and observed by optical imaging. The various forms of streamers were acquired by optical imaging and associated with the polarity and intensity of the accumulated surface charges. Surface charge sprinkling on the epoxy specimen surface was quantitatively evaluated by surface charge mapping. In addition, the effect of the subsequent discharges occurring in a heterocharge configuration above the inception voltage was observed. In terms of their directions and lengths, the kinetics of the streamer filaments revealed a strong dependence on both the polarity and the intensity of an accumulated charge. Compared with the reference charge‐free surface, the strongest drop in dielectric strength in the interelectrode space with a sprinkled charge was obtained for the heterocharge configuration. The presented results provide a contribution to the assessment of streamer behaviour in the presence of accumulated surface charges, including its polarity and intensity.