Simulation of electro-thermal aging based on the generic life-expression

Simulations in polymeric aging models have been performed on the DMM life model in terms of generic aging features. These simulations were carried out on polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) samples with a thickness of 1mm, under DC fields of 40 and 20 MV/m and temperatures of 110 and 180 ^oC. Representation of the work was performed in 2-D to demonstrate the evolution of damage structures during aging process in insulating polymers. Susceptible sites in isolated regions will be produced during the aging process. Therefore, failure bonds will be initiated at a high energy concentration sites which leads to create a breakdown path between electrodes. Life-time was taken in the simulations by varying either the susceptibilities of the damage sites parameter or the concentration of the stored energies in the moieties parameter. This paper will provide the inverse relationship between the insulation life and the increasing of the thicknesses. The relation will be based on the Weibull statistical analysis. Simulations based on the generic life-expression are used to support this relation and investigate the validity of the model for various thicknesses.