Partial discharge development and detection in dielectric liquids

PD measurements in dielectric liquids have been normally performed in the past only using conventional narrow bandwidth detectors. The more recent use of ultra-wide bandwidth instruments has permitted to support once again the thesis that the PDs in oils are the consequence of the streamer (vapor phase) formation and its development. In the paper simultaneous PD measurements in insulating liquids using both narrow and ultra-wide bandwidth detectors are presented. Whilst PD detection with narrow bandwidth instruments gives only integrated signals, the use of ultra-wide bandwidth techniques permits to have much more precise information on PD phenomena, which appear to be in the form of pulses (bursts) of ascending magnitude as the bubble within the liquid expands in volume. As reported in the paper, the use of the ultra-wide bandwidth instruments permits also to distinguish the PD pulses occurring in regular voids of oil-paper insulations and PD pulses formed directly in the liquids as consequence of the streamer development. Also in the paper the meaning of the PDIV in oils is discussed, showing its dependence with the definition used, the unpredictable level of the background noise as well as the randomness of the PD initiation process.