Improvement of Methods and Devices for Multi-Parameter High-Voltage Testing of Dielectric Coatings

Abstract

Currently, the high voltage testing method is widely used to detect pinholes and porosity defects in dielectric coatings. However, most modern coatings also have requirements for the minimum allowable coating thickness. Conducting tolerance tests on the thickness of dielectric coatings concurrently along with monitoring integrity within a single technological process appears promising. Additionally, mitigating the impact of various interfering parameters is crucial. This paper conducts a theoretical and experimental examination of spark formation processes in both gas and dielectrics. This analysis takes place during the identification of both through and non-through defects in dielectric coatings on conductive substrates. The principles of selecting the test voltage for the investigated dielectric coatings, considering the need to detect both through defects and inadmissible thinning, are theoretically and experimentally justified. It is suggested to utilize a probabilistic approach for evaluating the detectability of the mentioned defects. It is demonstrated that, when the dielectric strength of the coating is known, it is feasible to identify both through and non-through defects in coatings with a calculated probability under a specified test voltage. The conditions of occurrence of partial discharges in the process of testing are investigated, and measures to suppress their influence on the inspection results are proposed. The influence of the substrate surface roughness on the magnitude of the breakdown voltage during testing is considered.