Signal analysis methods to distinguish tracking process using time-frequency analysis

This paper proposes a method to distinguish the tracking process only in terms of voltage waveforms. Tracking is simulated using the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) 60112 method. The tracking process is observed in 5 stages - static state, discharge inception, discharge in progress, carbon formation, and tracking breakdown. The measured voltage waveforms are analyzed by two signal processes. The two kinds of signal processing are: improved time-frequency and time-energy analysis. The tracking process can be distinguished by using the improved time-frequency analysis visually by stages. It can also be distinguished by using average and standard deviation for the results of the time-energy analysis. Particularly, probability distribution for the result of the time-energy analysis appears a regular pattern in tracking process by stages.