Partial discharge (PD) measurements provide valuable information for assessing the condition of high voltage (HV) insulation systems, contributing to their quality assurance. Different PD measuring techniques have been developed in the last years specially designed to perform on-line measurements. Non-conventional PD methods operating in high frequency bands are usually used when this type of tests are carried out. In PD measurements the signal acquisition, the subsequent signal processing and the capability to obtain an accurate diagnosis are conditioned by the selection of a suitable detection technique and by the implementation of effective signal processing tools. This paper proposes an optimized electromagnetic detection method based on the combined use of wideband PD sensors for measurements performed in the HF and UHF frequency ranges, together with the implementation of powerful processing tools. The effectiveness of the measuring techniques proposed is demonstrated through an example, where several PD sources are measured simultaneously in a HV installation consisting of a cable system connected by a plug-in terminal to a gas insulated substation (GIS) compartment.

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Application of HFCT and UHF Sensors in On-Line Partial Discharge Measurements for Insulation Diagnosis of High Voltage Equipment

Partial discharge (PD) detection is a widely extended technique for electrical insulation diagnosis. Ultrahigh-frequency detection techniques appear as a feasible alternative to traditional methods owing to their inherent advantages such as the capability to detect PDs online and to locate the piece of equipment with insulation problems in substations and cables. In this paper, four antennas are thoroughly studied by means of their theoretical and experimental behavior when measuring electromagnetic pulses radiated by PD activity. The theoretic study of the band of frequencies in which the pulse emits and the measurement of the parameters $S_{11}$ are complemented with the frequency response and wavelet transform of a set of 500 time signals acquired by the antennas, and the results are analyzed in detail.

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Antenna Parametrization for the Detection of Partial Discharges

Partial Discharges (PDs) are one of the most important classes of ageing processes that occur within electrical insulation. The measurement of PDs is useful in the diagnosis of electrical equipment because PDs activity is related to different ageing mechanisms. Classical Phase-Resolved Partial Discharge (PRPD) patterns are able to identify PD sources when they are related to a clear degradation process and when the noise level is low compared to the amplitudes of the PDs. However, real insulation systems usually exhibit several PD sources and the noise level is high, especially if measurements are performed on-line. High-frequency (HF) sensors and advanced signal processing techniques have been successfully applied to identify these phenomena in real insulation systems. In this paper, spectral power analyses of PD pulses and the spectral power ratios at different frequencies were calculated to classify PD sources and noise by means of a graphical representation in a plane. This technique is a flexible tool for noise identification and will be useful for pulse characterization.

Partial discharge and noise separation by means of spectral-power clustering techniques

Condition monitoring of an operating apparatus is essential for lifespan assessment and maintenance planning in a power system. Electrical insulation is a critical aspect to be monitored, since it is susceptible to failure under high electrical stress. To avoid unexpected breakdowns, the level of partial discharge (PD) activity should be continuously monitored because PD occurrence can accelerate the aging process of insulation in high voltage equipment and result in catastrophic failure if the associated defects are not treated at an early stage. For on-site PD detection, the ultra-high frequency (UHF) method was employed in the field and showed its effectiveness as a detection technique. The main advantage of the UHF method is its immunity to external electromagnetic interference with a high signal-to-noise ratio, which is necessary for on-site monitoring. Considering the detection process, sensors play a critical role in capturing signals from PD sources and transmitting them onto the measurement system. In this paper, UHF sensors applied in PD detection were comprehensively reviewed. In particular, for power transformers, the effects of the physical structure on UHF signals and practical applications of UHF sensors including PD localization techniques were discussed. The aim of this review was to present state-of-the-art UHF sensors in PD detection and facilitate future improvements in the UHF method.

Application of UHF Sensors in Power System Equipment for Partial Discharge Detection: A Review

Among the different solutions which allow onsite partial discharge measurement in energized power transformers, the UHF technique is gaining general interest. In order to apply this method in existing transformers, it is considered advantageous to design a UHF sensor to be fitted inside the transformer tank. This paper describes the constraints affecting the development of such sensor and the process followed to optimize its design. During this process, different solutions for broadband UHF antennas were analysed. The selection was based on computer simulation and experimental results. Computer simulation was used to evaluate differences in radiation pattern, antenna impedance, gain and effective area. Measurements of the antenna response to different partial discharge sources in oil were performed using an oil dielectric breakdown test set in an electromagnetic shielded laboratory. A group of selected antennas were then tested in a power transformer simulating the broadband signals generated by partial discharges by injecting controlled voltage pulses in the transformer. Finally, a sensor based on a conical monopole antenna structure was built and attached to a specially designed housing to be fitted inside the transformer tank through the drain valve. This final prototype was benchmarked during a high voltage factory test of a power transformer which showed a significant partial discharge activity.

Optimisation of a sensor for onsite detection of partial discharges in power transformers by the UHF method

Partial discharge (PD) detection is a standardized technique to qualify electrical insulation in machines and power cables. Several techniques that analyze the waveform of the pulses have been proposed to discriminate noise from PD activity. Among them, spectral power ratio representation shows great flexibility in the separation of the sources of PD. Mapping spectral power ratios in two-dimensional plots leads to clusters of points which group pulses with similar characteristics. The position in the map depends on the nature of the partial discharge, the setup and the frequency response of the sensors. If these clusters are clearly separated, the subsequent task of identifying the source of the discharge is straightforward so the distance between clusters can be a figure of merit to suggest the best option for PD recognition. In this paper, two inductive sensors with different frequency responses to pulsed signals, a high frequency current transformer and an inductive loop sensor, are analyzed to test their performance in detecting and separating the sources of partial discharges.

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Inductive Sensor Performance in Partial Discharges and Noise Separation by Means of Spectral Power Ratios

Partial discharges (PD) detection is a widely extended technique for the diagnosis of electrical equipment. Ultra-high frequency (UHF) detection techniques appear as the best choice if the goal is to detect PD online and to locate devices with insulation problems in substations and overhead lines. The location of PD is based on the determination of the difference of the time of arrival of electromagnetic pulses radiated by a source of PD to an array of antennas distributed around the monitored area. However, when measuring electromagnetic pulses radiated by PD activity many interfering signals, such as those coming from television (TV), global positioning system (GPS), wireless communication signals and others coming from electrical equipment distort the waveform detected by the sensors. Under these circumstances, the application of traditional techniques to estimate the time differences may fail. In this paper, the use Blind Source Separation (BSS) techniques applied to pairs of UHF sensors is proposed to extract the information of the difference of the time of arrival of the electromagnetic pulses radiated by a source of PD. The paper is focused on the application of the algorithm and the description of an experimental setup for controlled generation and detection of PD to verify the performance of the proposed technique.

Location of partial discharges sources by means of blind source separation of UHF signals

Partial Discharge (PD) detection is a widely extended technique for electrical insulation diagnosis. Classical PD detection by means of phase resolved patterns require electrical connections to the power equipment and is sensitive to many noise sources. Ultra High Frequency (UHF) detection techniques are being recently proposed to overcome these problems, and to detect partial discharges on-line. In this paper, four antennas will be tested in order to compare their response to this physical phenomenon.

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Antenna selection and frequency response study for UHF detection of partial discharges

Partial discharges (PD) are a clear ageing agent on insulating materials used in high-voltage electrical machines and cables. For this reason, there is increasing interest in measuring this phenomenon in an effort to forecast unexpected failures in electrical equipment. In order to focus on harmful discharges, PD pulse shape analysis is being used as an insulation defect identification technique. In this paper, a simple, inexpensive and high-frequency inductive loop sensor will be used to detect and acquire PD pulses. Several measurements will be made on some controlled test cell geometries in order to characterize PD pulse shapes for different discharge sources. The sensor identification capability has been checked in an insulation system where two simultaneous PD sources were active.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-0233/21/10/105706/pdf

M. V. Rojas-Moreno

Papers

Antenna Parametrization for the Detection of Partial Discharges

Inductive Sensor Performance in Partial Discharges and Noise Separation by Means of Spectral Power Ratios

Location of partial discharges sources by means of blind source separation of UHF signals

Antenna selection and frequency response study for UHF detection of partial discharges

Partial discharge pulse shape recognition using an inductive loop sensor