The Space Charge Effect on the Discharge Current in Cross-Linked Polyethylene under High AC Voltages

Abstract

The space charge distributions in solid dielectrics have been usually investigated by means of the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) method. However, most previous studies have been limited to the phenomenological analysis under DC voltages. In our study, the space charge distribution in cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) has been measured using AC voltages by means of the modified PEA method. Simultaneously, the streamer discharges in an air gap have been measured in order to investigate the relationship between space charge and discharge current, and the relationship has been adapted to the case of dielectric barrier discharge. At high AC voltages, discharge current increases to the critical point, but no further increase is exhibited over the critical voltage and the discharge pattern is resolved by the space charge. This result indicates that the frequency effect and space charge characteristics of dielectric materials are preferred to the voltage effect in the adaptation to dielectric barrier discharge. The results well explain the space charge effect on partial discharge and the dielectric barrier discharge phenomenon.