Technique for discriminating the type of PD in SF6 gas using the UHF method and the PD current with a metallic particle

The relationship between the PD current pulse waveform at the PD source and the radiated electromagnetic (EM) waveform is investigated using a needle electrode for a metallic particle in SF6 gas at 0.2MPa. A leader discharge with a larger PD charge magnitude and a longer propagation length than for a streamer discharge can be an indicator of breakdown in the SF₆ gas. Simultaneous and synchronous measurement of the PD current, EM signals and light emission in the SF6 gas revealed that it is possible to discriminate between a streamer discharge and a leader discharge in both time and frequency components. Compared with a streamer discharge, a leader discharge is characterized by a longer rise/fall time of around 0.9 ns in the PD current pulse waveform, and by a lower frequency component of around 250 MHz in the EM frequency spectrum. A satisfactory correlation was obtained between the actual measured EM wave spectrum and the spectrum derived using a spectrum analyzer from the product of the actual PD current and the transfer function from the needle electrode to the UHF sensor that receives the EM wave. This new technique enables streamer and leader types of PD in SF₆ gas to be discriminated between by measuring the EM wave with a UHF detection system.