The case for frequency domain PD testing in the context of distribution cable

Frequency domain PD testing offers a rich set of PD characterization tools, the most basic of which are described in the article. PD detection sensitivity under field conditions is one to two orders of magnitude greater than for time domain testing as a result of (i) no need to trigger on the first PD pulse above the broadband noise, and (ii) the filtering effect of the cable between the PD detection site and the terminations. As a result of this greatly increased sensitivity and the rich set of characterization tools, frequency domain PD testing has been developed into a highly sensitive and reliable tool for characterizing the condition of distribution cable during normal operation, the sensitivity and accuracy of which have been confirmed through independent testing.