Comparison of DC breakdown voltage between multiple level test and successive discharge test methods

This present work was a comparison of positive DC breakdown voltage obtained by ldquomultiple level testrdquo and ldquosuccessive discharge testrdquo methods following IEC 60-1 (1989) of a sphere-sphere gap in air. The experiment was done under actual different atmospheric condition, temperature and absolute humidity. The ratio of absolute humidity to the air density correction factor, h/gd, was in the range of 7-13 g/m³. The diameters of the sphere were 12.5 cm and 5 cm. The results found that the breakdown voltages obtained by multiple level and successive discharge methods were very close. The average difference of breakdown voltages from these 2 methods for 12.5 cm and 5 cm sphere was 1.33% and 1.05% respectively.