Result of changing aging Voltage and its Consequence on Partial Discharges and Remnant Break Down Strength of Nanofilled Polypropylene

Abstract

Enhancement of partial discharge resistance of PP due to the incorporation of nanofillers indicates an improvement in its reliability under high voltage operating conditions. Partial discharge measurement is a well-established technique to evaluate the condition, quality and reliability of insulation material. Certain ratios of partial discharge inception voltage were applied on each sample for a fixed aging duration and partial discharge parameters were acquired at regular intervals. It is reported that unfilled and nanofilled polypropylene behave differently under different electrical stress conditions. Partial discharge parameters such as maximum discharge magnitude, Weibull scale and shape parameters were acquired at regular time intervals and were analyzed. Profilometric depth analysis and surface study were performed with 3D Hirox Microscope on the aged samples to evaluate the amount of degradation and resistance offered to surface discharges. Breakdown strength measurement were performed to understand the effect of aging on the remnant breakdown strength in unfilled and nanofilled polypropylene.