Study of partial discharge characteristics at repetitive square voltages based on UHF method

Abstract

Due to overvoltage produced by inverter output, inverter-fed motor insulation systems often experience fast electrical aging process, especially when partial discharge (PD) is incepted. Before putting into use, the PD detection should be performed on inverter-fed motors at repetitive square voltages to avoid the PD caused insulation deterioration when the motors are collected to inverters having specific characteristics. However, unlike PD tests at AC/DC voltages proposed in IEC 60270, the PD detection at repetitive square voltages is much more complex because of serious interference generated by impulse generator. To solve the problem, ultra-high frequency (UHF) method seems recommendable for its preferable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The chief aim of this study is to investigate PD pulse and statistical characteristics of turn-to-turn insulation for inverter-fed traction motors. A square-shaped Archimedes antenna, specially designed for the PD detection at repetitive square voltages of fast rise times, was used to perform PD tests on turn-to-turn insulation models. Time and frequency analysis results indicate that energy component of generator disturbance and PD pulses are mainly distributed in the 0–0.5 GHz and 0.6–1.5 GHz range, respectively. Based on the results, suitable filter was designed for power disturbance suppression. Additionally, resorting to the sensor unit (i.e. antenna and filter) and the PD test system, the PD statistical features at square voltages of different frequencies were obtained. Experimental results show that higher frequency will give rise, statistically, to PD of lower magnitudes distributing at smaller phases. A reasonable interpretation of this phenomenon was presented. Lastly, according to the PD statistical features, some suggestions for the PD detection system design, generator parameter optimization and the PD pulse extracting were given. The results of this work would be beneficial to the increase of the sensitivity when performing the PD detection on insulation systems for inverter-fed motors at repetitive square voltages and thus, improving the reliability of inverter-fed motors.