Partial Discharge Testing Under Direct Voltage Conditions

INTRODUCTION
In this paper, some partial discharge (PD) (corona) studies under direct voltage (dc) conditions are discussed. High voltage components assemblies for space use mostly see dc impressed voltage. They are used in power supplies and scientific instrument packages such as spark chambers and ultraviolet detection equipment for exploration of the energetic particle and radiation environment of space. These components and assemblies should therefore be tested under dc conditions. The technique of PD detection has been known for some time as attested to by Kreuger [1] and Dakin [2]. However, the majority of the PD work has been carried out under impressed alternating voltage (ac). It may be useful to briefly review the most cogent differences between dc and ac partial discharge behavior of a test specimen. Corona or partial discharges can occur within cavities in solid or liquid systems or at the surface of exposed conductors or at edges of conductors on solid dielectrics, as essentially a localized gas breakdown [3] according to Paschen's curve. Partial discharges can conceivably also occur at other flaws and inhomogeneities within materials, such as grain boundaries, but most of the literature deals with gas breakdown in small cavities. The discharge inception voltage occurs when the gas breakdown stress is just exceeded across the cavity which acts as the discharge site. This local stress is made up of two components: 1) the externally applied voltage stress, taking into account the voltage distribution due to different dielectric constants in the system and also the effects of conductor curvature, edges, and points; 2) the internal stress of residual surface charge density on any inner insulating surface lining the cavity or grain boundary due to previous discharges not having been conducted away. This residual surface charge and its electric field prevent more frequent discharges with applied dc voltage, even when this far exceeds the breakdown stress across the cavity. All inner insulation surfaces previously exposed to discharges are very likely to have some significant surface charge, which may be very slow to dissipate, similar to the better known case of an electret. The ac-crest and dc breakdown voltages of gases have been measured to be closely identical. However, the inception voltage of dc partial discharge is difficult to detect, consisting of only a very few pulses per minute and will only be "correct" for new, virgin, completely discharged dielectric specimen. As stated previously, after the first few pulses of discharge the interior insulating surfaces lining a cavity become charged and thus develop a reverse field which prevents further discharges until the voltage is raised,
VOL. AES-18, NO. 1

RENATE S. BEVER University of the District of Columbia JOHN L. WESTROM NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

DC partial discharge (PD) (corona) testing is performed using a multichannel analyzer for pulse storing, and data is collected during increase of voltage and at quiescent voltage levels. Thus high voltage ceramic disk capacitors were evaluated by obtaining PD data interspersed during an accelarated life test. Increased PD activity was found early in samples that later failed catastrophically. By this technique, trends of insulation behavior are revealed sensitively and nondestructively in high voltage dc components.

Manuscript received February 19, 1981. This work was supported by a grant made by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to the University of the District of Columbia. Authors' current address: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771.
U.S. Government work, not protected by U.S. copyright.
82

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

JANUARY 1982

or some of the charge is conducted away. Thus the conductivity is the most cogent factor for dc partial discharge, and it controls the discharge frequency f at a given quiescent voltage above inception. In fact, it has been shown to be [4, 5]

cp/yao: ln(1

N`1)

Ncp/yEEO, for N > 1

Fig. 1. Lumped parameter circuit model of cavity for dc PD case.
VACUUM CHAMBER

where cp is the conductivity of the dielectric (bulk), E is its permittivity, Eo is the permittivity of free space, N is the ratio of applied voltage V to corona inception voltage V', and

ISYSTEM

BIOOLE DC PARTIAL DISCHARGE

IFILTER
l1-40

JINTERFACE

SAMPLE

[Rc/(Rb

Rc)] [(Cb

Cc)/C,b]
lKVDC

the subscript c referring to cavity and b to the dielectric in series with it. The R's and C's are resistances and capacitances of the lumped parameter circuit model, equivalent to the actual cavity in the dielectric for the dc case shown in Fig. 1. Thus at constant dc voltage the number of discharges per second is controlled by the conductivity of the material and by the amount of overvoltage above inception. The proportionality between discharge pulse frequency and tiny conduction current through the sample has been experimentally shown in great detail by Shihab [61. During the act of voltage rise, or the voltage rise transient, if this is above the threshold voltage, discharges will occur during the voltage step and for a short time following it, after the voltage has reached a steady value. This is, of course, because the voltage rise is analogous to a quarter cycle of ac, and the blocking space charge is being moved. Observations have been published that the partial discharge quantity does not change appreciably with the frequency up to about 10 kHz [7]. This is fortunate in that it is then not necessary to keep the rate of rise of voltage during a voltage increase absolutely the same every time. Two more points need to be kept in mind which further complicate the dc partial discharge behavior: 1) The dc conductivity, so all important in determining the discharge frequency, is in itself decreasing with time, due to charge trapping at shallow and deep traps. Thus the dc current Idc can be written as

SPOWER
FILTER

P.S.

ATIONR

CALIBRATIONI

[j1

SIGNAL

L __
PULSE
ANAYZE
_

t0 _

COUPLER=

HISTOGRAM OF EVENT COUNT & CHARGE

Fig. 2. Test setup for measuring dc PD.

magnitude begin very low just above the first threshold voltage, but then increase steadily with increasing voltage.
TEST EQUIPMENT AND METHOD

The test equipment consisted basically of 1) a 664 000 series 40 kV, 3 MA dc partial discharge detection system with power supply by J.G. Biddle Company, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania; 2) output pulses coupled via a buffer-isolation amplifier circuit to an ND-100 multichannel analyzer made by Nuclear Data Corporation, Schaumburg, Illinois. Details of this equipment can be made available; see Fig. 2. The method of testing was to immerse the ends of Idc = ot-m the insulated corona-strand-shielded test cables from where t is the time after voltage application, I, is the the high voltage bushings of the Biddle power supply dc current at t = 0 and is related to the already trap- under Fluorinert Dielectric Fluid FC-48 by the MMM ped charges, and m is a constant determining the Company, such that the stripped metallic ends with speed of further charge-trapping. alligator clips and the test sample were all under the fluid. Thus no naked metal at the test end was ex2) Any real insulation sample has more than one corona into the surdischarge site, which are excited and reach their incep- posed to the gaseous air and thus as surface partial well as rounding air was prevented, tion voltage at random values of increasing applied across the leads sample the test between discharges voltage. Thus corona pulse repetition rate and
83

BEVER/WESTROM: PARTIAL DISCHARGE TESTING UNDER DIRECT VOLTAGE CONDITIONS

ai r

Fhe only test. objects that were mieasured while immersedi in air were large, m-achine-shiop maniufactured oflCs that hiad large-sized smioothi term-inals fitt-ed withi c"orona balls so as to pres,ent external c-orona intol the

EXPERIMENTS: CAPACIT'OR STU-DY

Objectives
tric conistant ceramic disk

discharge measurement' alonie; 4) discover what thec relationship between ac -co-frona inicepti-on voitage is andl dc partial discharge
behavior,

several manufacturecrs vvas Carried oni. in an effort- to 1) see if partial discharge testing unlder direct voltage conditions carn be uised as a means to select the more reliable cornponlenTS if a chioice i-s avai'lable; 2) see which capacitors ai-e the most,- coronia free, 3) hiope to find. som-e soi-t of acceptance and rejectioni criteria for these capacltors,, based oni dc partial

A\ study of,Clommerciall high voltage, high- dieleccapacitoi~_ supplied by

To this end., the ped-igree of capacitors for test was purposefuilly .omnmerciall, firom a variety of nmanufacturers and qualitv~, it! r' ,recsi-eened except by the manufacturers themnselves., Measurement of Initial Parti'al Discharge
The raw data obtained dutrinig onie tim-re initerval of' ot?servation on- tinree d-iffferent c-apaci'tors is seen in thec phiotographs of Figs. 3(A). (II), andt (C). Each photographi shows a partial dischiar-ge histogramn of the nuimbers of pulses at a given piCOCOuIlomb level versus that picocoul/ornb level which, occur-red during the timne initerval of obsei-vationi. Irn the particular examiples the applied vo!tagc "was chaniged in a linear ramp; other examples could equally well be obtained while the
Data from countless su-ch hiistograms muist be sumi miarized in tables and finially put- in graphical f'orm. Table I presenits the betiavlior of 1000 pF 10O kV, mnan-ufactui-er A capacitotrs and 8500 pF, 4 kV, manufacturer E capacit-ois from 0 to twice rated v oIt ag e, '2kV, Necessarily, such summnfiari-zing destroys some of th-e detailed information Pf the data. The headings m-Teat-i that what is given tn eachi casc- is I) the total numnber of counits between the calibr-at-ion limits cited all the top of the page: lthen .2) below the underlining is given the range of charege in picocouilombs below wvhich most~, of' theii c un"wei souInd, p1uc a- fi:uwI higvher en.ergy straggler-s spelled out individually. ThuIS 58.6 pC 98.3 1 p means hlat- most of the

voltage

was

kept, constant,

iii' P1<

it

suirface-o ntlhe bocl of the tcst. sain-pic OCbviousty. t"ic em-ptyv iest leadNc uadler Foinm liquid wets ek hi nnpoe ~al N,.'t pa rtial dtschait- ct h 't'iii) audi ionic were obta-ined f2 up 'r 3~k\V
a-- '. -,,
.,

i,-,

"

"

),

"

'.

;.

V."

.,

t.

., ,.

i. ).

I-I.:t,(. ---R(

'W "NSFf"Nis

.! () L "IX F 1-1) 8, N (. -),

JANI-JARY, 1982

TABLE I Behavior of Manufacturer A and E Capacitors 1000 pf, 10 kV Manufacturer A; Same At and Calibration as for E Below
01/2VR

1/2VR
N

I/2VR- VR
N
PC

VR
N
PC

VR -3/2VR
N
PC

3/2VR
N 9 <14pc+77

3/2VR- 2VR
N
pc

2VR
N pc
19
<1 1.9pc

AC
Incept kV
4.5

rms
Ext kV
4.5

PC
<4.Spc
1

pc

pc

<7.Opc
7

9 <1 0.6pc
19

3 <6.6pc
8

15 <I 8pc+107.5
30

<1 4pc+60

15

+94+161

3.3pc
0

<1I PC
6 <3.3+1 0

<26.1pc
2

<7.8pc
4 <4.2

<25pc
<4+199

<9.4pc
7 <10.2pc

8 _

25

3.5
<28.5+58

3.0 6.0

<26.9pc
12 1.2 +27+160
<1

<2.9+270

9 <58.3

8.5

9/16/77 8500pf, 4KV, Manufacturer E Y5VO-3879-877 Observation Time During AV 10 Sec.: Quiescent Observation Time = 100 Sec.; Calibration: 9-400pc
-

<1

16 IOpc+204 296,325, 353,400

16.3pc

1600 <200pc +345+400(6)

777 <1 67pc

6 <54pc

<400pc

2,786

30 <39pc +65,1 15,185pc

1.7

<88.5+328

<23pc +154

240 <1 I6pc

<267pc

2,651

557(1)
<1 74pc

2.0

509(2) <198+302+359
<21 1+384

<41 pc+ 13 7, 176,248

I3pc

1145 <208pc +295pc

<96pc

15

2,551 <340pc

706(1)

2.3

422(2) <1 53pc+1 88, 21 3,267,395pc

0 0

H
VR

VRVR

VR

VR

3VR-2VR

VR2

Fig. 4. Number of PD counts Y5V., 8500 pF, 4 kV dc.

I

versus

voltage. Manufacturer E,
Fig. 5.

-2

VR

2VRVR

VR32VR

2VR-2VR

2VR

Y5F,

Number of PD pulses

voltage.

Manufacturer C,

_r lay 1_ co . IC pC -r:in a near below 58.6 total number of counts Maxwellian distribution, plus one count of 98.3 pC and one at 157 pC. In addition, some of the data is presented in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 as graphs. The types of capacitors selected for this graph plotting were the ones of which
-.1

1000

pF,

4 kV dc.

10 identical units were available from the same manufacturer, lot, formulation, capacitance, and rated voltage. The same ones were also the ones later chosen for correlating life tests. The graphs clearly lead one to the following observations:
85

BEVER/WESTROM: PARTIAL DISCHARGE TESTING UNDER DIRECT VOLTAGE CONDITIONS

N _ 200 -

180

160 140
120

Ono _IV
830 6
4
-

At constant V
t
=

100 sec

50
00 80
so

2 20
0 VR
23
15 15

,-1
2VR
VR

2VR

VR

_
-

40
20

During A V t - tO sec

15 00 _ 80 _
60
20
n
0I

40 _
-

VR

2VR

VR

VR32VR

2 VR-2VR

Fig. 6. Number of PD counts versus voltage. Manufacturer A, Z5R, 1000 pkF. 10 kV dc.

N _
11

60 40
20
-

13

1100 -

80

At constant V t = 100 sec

60 _
20
50
-

_ 0VR

2V

VR

2 VR

2 VR

15

300 80
60
20

1:40

During AV t - 10 sec

14

30

60

0-

12VR 12VR

VR

VR-32VR 32VR-2VR
versus

Fig. 7. Number of PD pulses X5R, 1000 pF, 10 kV dc.

voltage. Manufacturer M,

quired while changing the applied voltage.

86

1) Much more revealing information as to the state of the insulation is gathered during the ramp of changing voltage, or on A V. Hence data must be ac-

2) The manufacturer M and A capacitors have few counts, both at AV and quiescent voltage, and their charge content is low. The manufacturer C units rise sharply in count rate with increasing voltage, and the manufacturer E capacitors' rate of increase of counts with voltage is by far the steepest. The result of the capacitor study seems to be that there is no simple, glaringly obvious rejection criterion that can easily be applied. Every manufacturer's type of high voltage capacitor has its own PD characteristics, almost like fingerprints. A summary of the data of the capacitors tested appears in Table II. The symbol AV is used for the phrase "change of voltage." Several monolithic capacitors have been cross sectioned with lapidary equipment. The findings are, as seen in Figs. 8 and 9: 1) Every S capacitor that had never been exposed to high voltage by the experimenter, when ground down, showed delamination cracks running along the outermost parallel plate electrodes. See the photographs. The cracks finally veered outward and ended at the epoxy coating. 2) S monolithics that had been caused to fail electrically by applying 20-30 percent more than rated voltage, were ground down in small increments. Interestingly, what was found was that a shorting crack occurred, starting from the delamination mentioned above, inward to the tip end of the next electrode of opposite polarity. In other words, the short went from a weak spot or fault on the outermost electrode to where the field strength was greatest at the opposite electrode. An interesting type of space charge and poling effect was observed with all the ceramic capacitors of the disk type. This is shown in the data of Table III. The voltage was raised in steps of 2 VR up to 2 V, the first time and the PD histograms obtained as usual, the A V steps occurring in about 10 s and the quiescent observations being taken over a 100 s interval. The voltage was then reduced quickly to zero (manufacturer C's and E's capacitors had energetic "relaxation" PD pulses, but not so the other types, taking about a total of 40 s to cease). The second time up the corona pulses were much fewer in number. After reducing the voltage again to zero, the polarity was then reversed on the capacitor. The third time up at reversed polarity the corona was much stronger than the very first and certainly than the second time. Another repeat at the same polarity caused a decrease in corona again, whereas polarity reversal brought on strong corona again, and so on and so forth. This is clearly a polarization effect, but the authors are not sure whether one is observing true gaseous corona in cavities or poling of the small crystal domains in the ceramic material, one domain at a time. It can certainly be said that if PD pulses appear on
VOL.

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

AES-18, NO.

JANUARY 1982

TAB LE 11

Manitiificttiie-eA NI

Stiiiati-y of' Imilpressli

ftiom ('apacitors Tested

so

Far

Vers little PD, even tip to 2V',. I ow-lesel enei-gy pUses, ito 'relaxaltilon' PD.
Ver-x little Pt), evsn ciner-ev pulses, ito r elaxat1ion FD1). Sorvlesvhat cip to 2['f,. L ow-level noistle ithan A.

Sotme coto-na oni AV' f'roiii [',R to V'f. Corona beeomes piotiotinced and appears In miuiltiple counit buit sts tipon AV beycond I/f These bursts self-exinluu1ish thentielses lhowever, uponi -emaining at a quiescent svoltace. The eneerttes as 2 1 is approached becoimIe seteraIl 1liundi ecd pitocoulombs. The new, E's wit louI lic Silastc reutndei coat have nio i-elaxation c(tona. Sonie eatiicr E's withi Lunidercoat lhad protioulniced relaxation PD. Soriie otlfer E disks tliat had Uinknown ensirotnmental tests done on tienit previtously, hlad early PD 1pulSes oni A L' alt-eadv fitomii 2, [t) Vf, atid -elaxat cor1 on)-()Iia amd bi-oke dowii completely by pIttI-e li1-1,toul1i1 the1 epoxy c)atine n eat- tlhe edee ofthic disk t o the

tadial lead, adjacenti.

These hlave a laII-geC liUmber oft etiergetic PD pLlses, begitnlic) ali-cadv on A,' f'otio 0 to t I e energ ies ot obsers ed pillses rante inito tlte 2 V[f. A s A V goes iota 2 ['ftto 2[' t tiousands of' picocoulhmbs eveti bevyod 8000 pC. Tlhet-e is equallvs ctietgetic relaxatitor corotia. Yct tionie of thicse fiavet expetlenced hicakdow'n, evceI at 21,/.
S's tested so tat- break dstown at abouit 20-30 percent above ['f. Tlis sCtllls to be ti-tuc wlietilie- tle capacitotrs are of receint maIlLufcitucire or I}litee years olId, atid reuaIcdIless of capacitance saziLIC or voltage r-atiltig.

Mntolihichts
S

FIrot

to

V/f, tftI-c

is

altaclr

corona, increasinE

o11(re sia-plvaip beviid

All ilie

AV below V'R that one should be alert for unreliable performance and possible breakdown. But this is not necessarily going to happen, as illustrated by the manufacturer C's disks. The results of planned life tests, accelerated by elevated temperature, need to be evaluated to see if there is a general correlation between corona upon AV below VR on one hand and possible short life duration on the other. If so, then early corona below VR upon A V could be used as a rejection criterion. LIFE TESTING ON HIGH VOLTAGE CAPACITORS FOR WHICH THERE IS ALREADY INITIAL PARTIAL DISCHARGE DATA Test objects were, with one lead wire identified as the + side:

L
(A)

a) 5 of manufacturer E, Y5VO, 8500 pF, 4 kV dc rated, ceramic disk capacitors; b) 5 of manufacturer A, Z5R, 1000 pF, 10 kV dc rated ceramic disk capacitors; c) 5 of manufacturer M, X5R, 1000 pF, 10 kV dc rated ceramic disk capacitors; d) 5 of manufacturer C, Y5F, 1000 pF, 4 kV dc rated ceramic disk capacitors. 1) Before the life test began, measured at room temperature, for each capacitor were a) the capacitance of I Volt ac rms, 1000 Hz; b) the dissipation factor, similarly; c) the insulation resistance, at rated voltage dc; polarity was observed. It was noted

L
(B) Fig. 8. Two monolithic capacitors by manufacturer S, in cross section. No high voltage applied by experimenter.

BEVER/WESTROM: PARTIAL DISCHARGE TESTING UNDER DIRECT VOLTAGE CONDITIONS

IXTABLI" I'l 1IlffilcS- I,) 'N (c Chal-n2 1110 2 TI K ulltnd Ro-er 100, (4 Ploartk-r0

Mantil

;r~C RF 345( N 5E (.-apacm '), 10(30 pl1' 4 k\,. Ratcd. DX OPtDon

-,

-4

C6,

Zr
/

I/

""

PG
V( r
.,

fc

pc

CC.

C'
vy"

C4p

'IC

1.

'i
1.. ...

..

4i~(

4 F7~

Z.

Io

.. 1. .;

(3 "

Pt,
46(10

100

nalhbrato

at

what time
was

after-

applicationi of'
were

voltage the resistance

were

reading

taken. The capacitor leads

reversed
were as

and measurements limited to less well

as

repeated. Surge

currents

thani

50 MA

iii

all the

cases

above

subsequenit cases
test:
to

2) Survivability

A\ll

test

objects

were

heatedt
liquid
to V/s~

gradually (over capacitor

rated
at

h)

85 0C under Fluorinert

FC 48 and the applied

voltage

was

raised

to

each.

the rate of and not

there

exceeding 500
In
case

voltage and left

a

fortIh,

of

failure,

fusistor

was

mounted in series with

eachi
was

in-

dividual capacitor- After I

h-

of

cooling, step
life testing
at

repeated.
4N

3)

Now

began

the

lonig-termr
and
not
a

85

again heating up voltage dc (rate of rise

life test time

slowly
was

applying only 21 ratedi exceeding 500 V/s), The

periods
was

period

total of 1000 h, divided up

into four parts.

During

the first two 250 h

only

23

rated
to to

voltage

was

applied; thus
10

6 kV do

applied
applied
was

the parts rated at 4 the parts rated at

test was

kV, and 15

kMV

dc

was
I

kV.
at

4) The

interrupted

250 h. All of step

U~~~~~~~~~~~~dp

repeated and the uinits

5)

were

partial discharge

tested.

Sceps
to

anid

except foi

the

thirdt

and

were repeated Ohree niore times fouthjt- tinmes, 2 VC wa\ an-

plied

the

capacitors,

DISCUSSION

io

f'

h0 t1
(
i-;i

20

i-c

The results of the life test

are

shlown in Tables IV

through
I)

IX.
event
was

k',
c
00ar
b

` a cd w411'' 0 N iP h o r

The most obvious

Vs

that all but

onie

of

the manufacturer

8-500 pE, 4 kV rat-ed

to'

capacitor-s
of
in

failed. The first indication

weakness

was,

Spadce

111,

n-iI

c-ourse,

tLhatL

these

units

had

copious

corona,

mult i-

F[

" ''.

'i

;.

.-

lz. A

(' T I ( ) N.-

A, 1, R ( - I -) .,N'T. -1 N D
I

",

-'R () N P" 'S Y ST I AMS

11-

V () 1. A L'- ..

'N C).

-.1 A NNO -. A R Y 19 8 -7

TABLE IV Partial Discharge History During Life Testa

Manufacturer
E

OKV
-

N/pc

Ol/t12VR
N/pc

N/pc

1/2VR

1/2VR-IVR
N/pc

VR N/pc

VR43/2VR N/pc

N/pc

3/2VR

3/2VR-32VR
N/pc

N/pc

2VR

Y5VO

3879

877, 8500 pf, 4KV rated #18

0

Original

Measurement

Lk49pc

&.20pc

Bursts

444pc 222pc

16

105pc

6 20pc

4177pc
Bursts

109

Life Test: After 850C, 250 hrs at

3/2VR

20. 9pc

2,705 314T.7pc
Bursts

Multiple
at 3.5KV

16-Tpc

ToT40pc+
Bursts

7168

A.220+

1444

322+ 341pc
Bursts

7592 To 400pc+ Bursts

Breakdown

Manufacturer
E

Y5VO

3879 - 877, 8500 pf, 4KV rated #15

0 0

Measurement

Original

10'.Opc _22+16pc
7 17c

10?ZFpc

Bursts

416 208pc

19 L70pc

2896 .316pc

Bursts

e170+234 pc
Bursts

951

After 850C, 250 hrs at

Life Test:

5
4 27pc
e

3/2VR

22pc

.4

233pc

1906

Bursts Start at 3.5KV

+128 +241pc

18

T327pc

11,955

Bursts

4202pc

1310

Bursts

After 850C, 500 hrs at

3/2VR

43pc

49pc

444pc

4243pc

426

at 3.5KV

Bursts

e52+198 +275pc

171

i.352pc

6985

Bursts

Bursts

2938 436tpc

Bursts

During Next 250 hrs at 2VR, 850C

Breakdown

aObservation time during

AVX 10 s; quiescent time

= 100 s; calibration: 8

400 pC.

TABLE V Partial Discharge History During Life Testa

Manufacturer A

N/pc
2 2. lpc
1

OKV

0-pl/2VR
N/pc

1/2VR N/pc

1/2VRKVR
N/pc

N/pc

VR

VR-P3/2VR
N/pc

N/pc

3/2VR

3/2-%VR
N/pc

2VR N/pc

10OOpf, 1OKV rated, #1; 5038-25R

Measurement

Original #1
e

&4.5pc
0
0

7 L 7pc

Illpc
1 1.7pc
2 7+29pc
1

s6. 6pc
0 0
2 2.8,3.7pc

15

18pc +107pc
2

(14pc
24

15

+77pc

x14pc +60pc

19 4 12pc +94+161pc
19 36pc 6 .7.3pc+368pc

After 250 hrs

at
at

850, 3/2VR 4.5pc

1

1 2.5pc
0
4

9+25pc
5 c43pc
4

z 32+77pc

.36pc
17445
2

After 500 hrs

850C, 3/2VR 2.7pc

0
2 3. 7pc

After 250 hrs

more,

2VR

850C,

38.6pc

48.7+36pc

20426pc
25

. 9+133pc

18

Measurement
at at

Original #2

2 2.1pc

1 3.3pc 0

11pc
43.7pc
u
1

e.26pc
-24.5pc
C15pc
19

19

8 o 7.8pc
0

. 25pc
32
L 8.9pc

30

.49.4pc
<.14.3pc
0 2 16

-27pc C9+51pc 442pc

21

28+58pc llpc
413pc
4

11

After 250 hrs After 500 hrs

850C, 3/2VR

27

28

12

850C, 3/2VR
850C, 2VR

0
0 0

u
1

0
0

19 Z 14.5

After 250 hrs

more,

2.8pc
1 2pc

3.6pc
4 3.3pc

c18.6pc
L12.7pc
30

16

<

20pc

27

3. 3pc

c8. 7pc
41 +85pc+236pc

25

Z 30+259pc

After another 250 hrs at 850C, 2VR

cl5pc

44

i7.8pc

I11.4pc

e.2.8+74+222pc+307pc

10

aObservation time during AV ' 10 s; quiescent observation time = 100 s; calibration: 2

460 pC.

BEVER/WESTROM: PARTIAL DISCHARGE TESTING UNDER DIRECT VOLTAGE CONDITIONS

89

TABLE VI Partial Discharge History During Life Testa

RF 345C Y5F, 10OOpf, 4KV rated
Manufacturer C

OKV
0

0-.*1/2VR
j140pc
49

1/2VR
l5pc
0 4

1/2VRg-VR
169 To 460+pc
29

VR
13 31pc

VR9-3/2VR
537 To 460+pc

3 /2VR

3/2VR-*2VR
To 460+pc

2VR
359 L 128+
48

Original Measurement,

49

#7

70+174 +34
14
a

78

1153

7pc

212+220+283pc

After 250 hrs at 850C, 3/2VR

,404pc
4420pc
To

278pc
107+282 pc

0
6 63.7+21
11
* 6pc

To 460+pc

159
165

26+90pc

263+45Opc L61+5 to 460

305

168

6 After 500 hrs at 850C, 3/2VR (E 3.7pc

After 250 hrs more at 850C, 2VR

38

3.3pc

61 ,473+

To 460+pc 305 To 460+pc

cl6+9lpc
12 1+300pc
69

11

To 460+

,69+5 to 392
t75+187+317pc
24 70

52

_!5.lpc
0

_0

53

460+pc
40

6B.2pc
1

10

4 to 360pc 89 To 460+pc
1 1.5pc

85 L104+

To 460+

459

After 250 hrs more at 850C,

2VR

,437pc
39 To 460+pc 60 To 460+pc 60 To 430 57 To 460+

314
To 460+pc

1.Opc

,17.2pc
4

,.371

236

37pc

Measurement,

Original

#5

1 2.8pc 0

54 Lll7pc
72

L3.7pc
5

L218pc
111

149

5pc
7

_440pc
218 To 460+ 226 To 460+

386

29

-26+7 to 224pc
13 4 40+316pc
33 C 43

After 250 hrs

at

850C, 3/2VR 2.4pc

3

t4lOpc
73 L393

tlOpc
7 A.14

L383pc
118 To 460+

454+413
10

After 500 hrs

at

850C, 3/2VR t3.3pc 850C, 44.6pc

0
6

6 .9.lpc 8 4. 2pc

c83pc

After 250 hrs

more at

108 To 440+

2VR
more at

414
0

343
98

213

L5.lpc
0

L440
107 r460+

522

33+120pc
6 <36.6pc

21

After 250 hrs

2VR

850C,

L395

27

89
To 460+

L_277+396
=

aObservation time during AV\. 10 s; quiescent observation time TABLE VII Partial Discharge History During Life Testinga
Date&tHistory Manufacturer E
848 (6KV) X5T lOOOpf, 6KV rated

10 s; calibration: 2

460 pC.

#21 7/17/78 New

0
0

0-1-1/2VR
i33pc
22

1/2VR

1/2VR -VR
588 4307pc

VR
23 C66pc

VRg-3/2VR
2398 4179+305(2)

3/2VR
14 L55pc +180pc

3/2VR-*3P-2VR
4120pc+ 248(5)
19
8339
Bursts

2VR
11 421pc

2VRg+O
440(7)pc
76 z78+

L_4.2pc
0
0

+49(2)pc
4 t7+

8/2/78 After 250 0

hrs more at

0
0

8/6VR, 850C
8/18/78 After
250 hrs at 2VR, 85C
0

4307+78+85
+112pc

117

L55+121pc
9 36pc

50

.4

9pc

< 18+60+

177+220+390
45 cw 253pc

21Opc
4 lOpc

493pc
14

22

36 -68+120pc

39
4

7. 3pc

C 108pc

#22 7/17/78 New

14 13pc

427pc

18

.114+164

309

+348pc
35

73 L22+69pc

&139pc

3048

+194(2)
+362pc
Bursts

4 lOpc

11,260 4200pc
Bursts

+258(2)+320
81

+160(2)
+210pc Bursts

1649 90

9 4l9.5pc

8/2/78 After 8/6VR, 850C

diate polarity reversal

0
c

250 hrs at

163+176

1llpc+

8 5pc

28 4102pc
215 (65+136pc
21 160pc

llpc
27

13

134(3)
1773

C 63+

16pc
37 44 +173pc

10

6 34pc
5

6/2/78

Imme-

12 107pc

2 z.4pc 0

60 494+
12

350(5)pc
+232pc

13 L29pc
0

Burst at 8KV

4139 z30pc +267(4) Bursts

0

e-21pc
3

8/18/78 After 250 hrs more at

2VR, 850C

i-19+58

35 4114pc

u31pc

137

4 12pc

Burst

aObservation time during AV\, 10 s; quiescent observation time

100 s; calibration: 2

460 pC.

90

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

VOL. AES-18, NO.

JANUARY 1982

TABLE VIII Original C, DF, Insulation R (4/25/78).

General Radio Capacitance Bridge at 4V , 1 Khtz , + 0.2%
HP 4329A HR meter

M X5R

lOOOpf 10KV C,pf

DF

Insul R in .a at VR; 3 mins after VR appl. 4 3 3.3 3.3 2

x x 10 12

Insul R,.O5L at 1000V after 3 mins

after 6 mins 4 x

15 13 12 14 11
A Z5R

1046 1028 1066 1050 1050 lOOOpf 10KV 979 982 980

0.0172 0.0168 0.0177 0.0179 0. 0174

i0I2

2.5 x 1012
2 x 1012

1012

x x
x

1012

1012

102

4 5
C

1 2 3

972 968

0.0118 0 .0119 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120

9 3.3 3.3 3 2.5 3.3

x x x

1012 1012 1i12

x 1012 x 10

7.5 x 1012 6 x 1i12 1 3.8 x10 125.5 xlO

Y5F
9 5 7 6 1
E

lOOOpf 4KV
982 984 974 980 992

0.0091 0.0090
0 .0088 0.0088 0.0093

1 1 1 1.3 1.3

x x x x x

1012

1012 1012

1.5 x 1012 1 x 1012

2.5 x

1o12

1012

1012

2.7 x 1012

Y5V0 20

8500pf 4KV

18 16 14
11

7260-7248, 6975 7115-7095 7226-7204 7448

.0065- .0061 .0067 .0066 .0066 .0071

.4 .8 .3 .4 .3

x1012
x

x10 12 01

.6 x 10

12

.8 x 10

12

.9 x 10

1.4 x

101

ple bursts, originally. As can be seen in Table IV, numbers 15, 18, and 16 had markedly increased corona already after the first 250 h at 3 V, and 85. Whereas originally multiple bursts of partial discharge pulses began to occur just above VR when the voltage was increased, now it occurred upon AV below VR. Whereas originally there were no multiple bursts at quiescent voltage except at 2 V., multiple bursts up to almost 400 pC now occurred at quiescent VR and 3 V. Units 14 and 19 seemed to improve after the first 250 h, but then also worsened as the life test continued, 14 showing degradation after a total of 500 h at 32VR and 19 after an additional 500 h at 2 VR. Except for 19, which survived, 15, 18, 16, and 14 failed when they were raised to 2 VR, either to do PD testing or to continue the last half of the life testing. This is not to say that all of manufacturer E's capacitors will worsen or fail under this regime of accelerated life testing, but only that this particular batch and type failed. In fact, Table VII shows that with a different type and formulation of E's capacitors, namely, 1000 pF, 6 kV, no worsening and in fact a decrease in corona was obtained after 250 h at 8 VR and 250 h more at 2 VR (848 - (6 kV) - X5T 1000 pF). 2) It is interesting to note in Tables VIII and IX that of the usually standard quantities measured,

namely, capacitance, dissipation factor, and insulation resistance, only the dissipation factor showed a definite degradation from about 0.0066 to 0.0099 after the first 500 h at 32 VR. Techniques for measuring the insulation resistance (IR) of capacitors in a satisfactory manner are a subject in themselves. Suffice it to say at this point that the instrumentation available for that parameter determination, for this study, was only good enough for an order of magnitude measurement and did not give an indication of degradation before failure. 3) Certainly one can say that the particular A, M, and C capacitors all survived the 1000 h life test. One can begin to see that after 1000 h: a) roughly speaking, the A and the M capacitors stayed just about the same as originally, perhaps a few more high charge counts at 2 VR than originally, and b) the C capacitors seemed to first get worse, but then during the last 250 h at 2 VR seemed to improve in corona behavior. These C capacitors are somewhat of a puzzle, in that they exhibit some extremely energetic single corona pulses, level to 8000 pC, originally. Yet they survived the life test to 2 VR. The question that has not been answered to where the corona is coming from in all these samples. Dissection of the capacitors is necessary for this. Some lapidary work shows that the size of the electrodes over the disks and the way of
91

BEVER/WESTROM: PARTIAL DISCHARGE TESTING UNDER DIRECT VOLTAGE CONDITIONS

TABLE IX After 500 h at

M ,

3V5, 85
DF

(6/21/78)
at VR; 3 Mins

important idea is that all the measurements in a given test series be carried out in the same, consistent way.
CONCLUSIONS

X5R

lOOOpf
C

10KV pf

Insulation R, in IL,

after VR applied.

15 13 12 14 11
A

1024 1024 1045 1026 1028 Down

I

.0169 .0173 .0174 .0176 .0167

2.2x1012
1. 4x1012

2X1012

Z5R

10KV 962

lOOOpf

1 2 3 4 5
C

964 960 957 953 Down

lOOOpf 4KV
Removed

.0123 .0118 .0120 .0116

.0119

2x1012

3xlO12 2xlo12

Y5F
9

5 7 6 1
4 New 3 New 2 New

Removed Removed 1022 997 991 Up

992 983

.0094 . 009 3
.0099

1x1lO12

1X1012

1) Direct voltage PD measurement is a nondestructive, yet revealing technique as to how a device intended for direct voltage use will behave in actual service. Especially informative as to the state of the insulation are data acquired during the raising of voltage or upon AV. Data must be acquired over intervals of time ranging from about 10 s to 200 s, and therefore the testing is time consuming. 2) Rather than only looking for rejection and acceptance criteria of high voltage dc devices, the user should also look for his own rating criteria. For capacitors, from the work done so far, the following guidelines emerge:
a) Make PD
1

.0097 .0098 Up

1. 3X1012 .9X1012
1x1012

measurements at

V.

E Y5VO

8500pf 4KV Catastrophic Catastrophic

7790 7845 7940 .38

20
11

Empty Clips 19 New 15 New 17 New

16 14 13 New

.0098 .0095 .0108 .0005 .0099 .0099

.48x1012
.4xlO1
.27X1012

Subsequently dropped & chipped

7500

7748

.22x10

.3x102 .53xlO11

12

9% increase

50% increase

dressing out the metal leads is different for the different manufacturers and different for a given manufacturer from time to time (E). Both A and M seem to extend their electrodes precisely to the edge of the capacitor disks. They offset the leads slightly from the body of the disk near the rim so as to permit the epoxy coating to get in between the lead and the disk. Some voids were seen there, but do not matter because the disk is metal coated to the edge. The particular C's and E's tested have electrode diameters significantly smaller than the disk diameter. The particular C's leads were pressed right down close to the body of the ceramic with no epoxy coating between body and lead. The 8500 pF E's had the leads offset near the rim and seemingly coated with a soft inner coating and then the epoxy on top of that. More work needs to be done on this sectioning. 4) There is a question as to whether one should, for at least 24 h before PD testing, ground the capacitor leads or just leave them open circuited. The units in this study were left open circuited since this is the experience they will have in service. Experiment shows that grounding for 24 h before testing will indeed decrease the number of counts somewhat, but does not change the essential nature of the type of corona (bursts, or singles, very energetic or not). The
92

2- VR 2 VE, 2 VR. Here VR is the manufacturer's rated voltage. If already below VR a sharp increase in the total number of pulses and in their charge content, going above 100 pC, is observed during data acquisition upon AV, then derate the device to one-half of the manufacturer's rating (C). If no such sharp increase is observed, then use the device at the manufacturer's rating (A, M). If multiple bursts of corona are observed, reject the device (the 8500 pF E's). b) Furthermore, expose the devices to 250 h of ac3 V R,.Afeth25 After the 250 h celerated life tests, at 85 C and 2 again take PD data. If the corona has become more numerous and energetic, then reject the devices (the 8500 pF E's). Space charge injection during the 250 h and the resulting polarization should normally make the measured corona less numerous and energetic after the 250 h, even after a 24 h waiting period. If despite this, the corona has become worse, it is a definite indication of insulation damage. c) The measurement technique must be consistent, that is, always apply high voltage in the same direction to the sample if several sequential measurements are made; always go through the same time sequence of raising voltage; always wait 24 h after the last application of high voltage before doing PD measurements. During this waiting time the terminals can be grounded or ungrounded, as long as the same is done every time.
3

VR.

0, 0
and

VR,

VR,

VR,

VR

VR,

VR,

possibly

3) The relationship between ac and dc corona has been partially explored, but more work needs to be done on this. So far, a definite conclusion is that dc corona will not be found below ac inception voltage. There is no rhyme or reason among the various manufacturers as to how they rate their dc capacitors for dc use from their measured ac inception voltage. Some manufacturers give dc ratings only 20 percent above the ac corona inception (A); others give dc
VOL. AES-18, NO.
1

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

JANUARY 1982

ratings that are as much as three times the ac inception voltage (C) at 100 pC. The 100 pC limit on the ac criterion is probably a good experiential number. It could possibly be made more stringent at no PD pulses above 50 pC for dc use. 4) A database needs to be established on different groups or types of insulation systems, e.g., high voltage cables or transformers or potted travelingwave tubes. This report, which is mostly a ceramic capacitor study, must not be misused to judge, for instance, high voltage cable quality from a single measurement of the PD signature of a particular cable. 5) With the aid of such sets of databases, it is the opinion of the authors that PD testing, especially during a change of voltage gives a better, more detailed, "microscopic" insight into the state of electrical insulation than the more customary "macroscopic" quantities like capacitance, dissipation factor, and insulation resistance. PD testing can be used to detect trends before seemingly sudden, unanticipated catastrophic failures occur.
REFERENCES

[2]

[31

Dakin, T.W. (1978) Partial discharges with dc and transient high voltages. Proceedings of the National Aerospace Electronics Conference, Dayton, OH, May 1978.

Dakin, T.W. (1968)

[41

[51

[6]

[7]

[81

(11

Kreuger, F.H. (1964) Discharge Detection in High Voltage Equipment, New York: American Elsevier, 1964.

Corona discharges in dc and partially rectified ac insulation systems. Proceedings of the 8th Electrical NEMA-IEEE Insulation Conference, Los Angeles, CA, Dec. 1968. Melville, D.R.G., Salvage, B., and Steinberg, N. (1965) Discharge detection measurement under dc voltage conditions. Proceedings of the IEE, Sept. 1965, 112, 1815-1817. Densley, J. (1977) Partial discharges under direct voltage conditions. National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Shihab, S. (1972) Partial discharges in voids in polymer insulating materials, using high voltage dc. Ph.D. dissertation, High Voltage Institute, University of Braunschweig, Germany, 1972. Benett, A.I. (1972) Frequency dependence of partial discharges and measurement of void content in insulation. Presented at the NAS-NRC Conference on Electrical Insulation, 1974, paper 2, session B. Densley, J., and Sudershan, T.S. (1977) Some results of partial discharge measurements during the growth of electrical trees. Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena, Colonie, NY, 1977.

Renate S. Bever was born in Stuttgart, Germany. She received the M.S. degree in physics from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., in 1951. She has taught physics at several colleges and universities, among them American University and the University of the District of Columbia. While there, she did research on high voltage insulation systems for space use. She has continued this activity since joining the staff of NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., in 1978, as an aerospace engineer in the Space Power Applications Branch.

John L. Westrom received the B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1960. Since 1966 he has designed instrument power supplies and distribution systems at the NASA/Goddard Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. He is head of the Instrument Power and Payload Interface Section. He also is a consultant on high voltage design for instrument systems.
BEVER/WESTROM: PARTIAL DISCHARGE TESTING UNDER DIRECT VOLTAGE CONDITIONS 93