Abstract
A new, bio-inspired printed monopole antenna (PMA) model is applied to monitor partial discharge (PD) activity in high voltage insulating systems. An optimized sensor was obtained by designing a PMA in accordance with the characteristics of the electromagnetic signal produced by PD. An ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna was obtained by applying the truncated ground plane technique. The patch geometry was bio-inspired by that of the Inga Marginata leaf, resulting in a significant reduction in size. To verify the operating frequency and gain of the PMA, measurements were carried out in an anechoic chamber. The results show that the antenna operating bandwidth covers most of the frequency range of PD occurrence. Moreover, the antenna presented a good sensitivity (mean gain of 3.63 dBi). The antenna performance was evaluated through comparative results with the standard IEC 60270 method. For this purpose, simultaneous tests were carried out in a PD generator arrangement, composed by an oil cell with point-to-plane electrode configurations. The developed PMA can be classified as an optimized sensor for PD detection and suitable for substation application, since it is able to measure PD radiated signals with half the voltage levels obtained from the IEC method and is immune to corona discharges.
Highlights
The insulation of high voltage equipment is subjected to stressful conditions, such as intense electric fields, chemical reactions, mechanical stresses, temperature variations and several environmental phenomena
The first is about the antenna characterization results, while the second subsection is about the antenna partial discharge (PD) detection sensitivity
A bio-inspired printed monopole antenna (PMA) model based on the Inga Marginata leaf for PD detection was proposed
Summary
The insulation of high voltage equipment is subjected to stressful conditions, such as intense electric fields, chemical reactions, mechanical stresses, temperature variations and several environmental phenomena. Partial discharges (PDs) may occur, which are defined as low magnitude electrical discharges that partially short-circuit the insulation material [1]. The continuous occurrence of PDs can provoke a significant degradation of the material of the insulation, which can eventually lead to a full dielectric breakdown and, equipment failure. The most traditional method for PD detection is the one established by IEC 60270 [1], which allows the measurement of PD current pulses. This method, is considered highly invasive, since it requires the connection of a coupling capacitor in parallel with the monitored equipment, limiting its use to mainly laboratory applications
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