Voltage Breakdown Characterization of Oil Dielectrics for High-Power Switching Applications

A high-voltage test stand has been developed at the University of Missouri-Columbia capable of producing a 160-kV voltage pulse with a 10-90% rise-time of 1.3-mus. The test stand is a CLC network utilizing a compact Marx Bank as the primary energy-discharge component. The compact Marx Bank is capable of storing and delivering 23-J of energy per discharge. The test stand drives a high voltage switch that has been designed specifically to test synthetic oil dielectrics at high pressures and adjustable gap lengths. Six types of oil were tested. For each oil type the voltage and current were recorded for 100 breakdowns. The oils were filtered and pressurized before each test.