Time Transition of Activated Conductivity Distribution in Air and Charge Accumulation in Air-solid Composite Insulation Systems under DC Partial Discharge

Abstract

In this study, charge behavior in gas and on solid insulator due to DC partial discharge (DC-PD) is investigated by using needle-air-PMMA-plane electrode configuration under negative DC voltage. The time evolution of surface potential distributions on solid insulator is measured and compared with the simulation results taking into account the charge behavior in air, such as generation, recombination and motion of positive and negative ions. Especially, a novel transport equation model considering the source of charge carrier due to DC-PD is built. Consequently, in air-solid composite insulation systems under negative DC voltage application, the time transition of activated conductivity distribution in air by DC-PD contributing to the charge accumulation on PMMA surface is evaluated quantitatively. The activated conductivity in air is distributed in the range from 1.0 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-9</sup> to 3.0 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-9</sup> S/m under DC-PD, which is approximately 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">10</sup> times higher than that in non-activated conductivity space by natural ionization. In addition, the activated conductivity distribution in air dominantly contributes to the charge accumulation process from initial state (DC-on) to DC steady-state. The activated conductivity is the crucial parameter for DC electrical insulation in case that charge behavior is activated in gas medium under DC-PD.