Correlations among Light Emission

and Partial Discharge Measurements

made during Electrical Tree Growth
J.M. Bryden, I.J. Kemp, A. Nesbitt of Glasgow Caledonian University
J.V. Champion and S.J. Dodd of London Guildhall University
Z. Richardson of National Grid Company Plc.

Background
Electrical Treeing
Degradation phenomenon in polymer insulation produced by partial discharges

Aims
Gain understanding of the nature, rate and form of the degradation process

Method

Acquire partial discharge data using electrical detection methods

Light Emission Characterisation from CCD Images synchronised, with PD data
Electrical Tree Characterisation from CCD Tree growth images
Data analysis to obtain correlations amongst the parameters of these data sources

Detection and Measurement System

1

Fibreoptic
Receiver

200micron FO cable

Fibreoptic
Transmitter

Load
Detector
Circuit

20pC

15kV
20mA

Low discharge
Pin

Sample

Plane
AC Source
6.3Vrms
pk
Power supply

PE sensor
PC
running
AT1
CCD
camera
software

HS serial

Camera
Electronics
Module

Parallel

CCD Camera

4
1

50Hz
Phase
Reference
Signal

Synchronisation
Circuit

3
4

Ch2
Ch3
Ch4
Ext Trg

LeCroy
4 Channel
DSO

GP
IB

Ch1

PC MMX
200MHz
Acquisition
System

VAR
AC

Parameter Types
Electrical PD:
From phase, magnitude and time of occurrence
statistical parameters on charge and discharge energy
are calculated

Tree Structure Image:

Radial extent, tree area, tree FD

Light Emission Image:

Radial extent, intensity and area

Charge (pC)

CY4 Total Charge

Charge
(pC)

6.0E+04
5.3E+04
4.5E+04
3.8E+04
3.0E+04
2.3E+04
1.5E+04
7.5E+03
0.0E+00
0

10

20

30

40

sample #

CY4 Total Discharge Energy

32
Discharge Energy (J)

28
24
20
16
12
8

6.0E-04
5.3E-04
4.5E-04
3.8E-04
3.0E-04
2.3E-04
1.5E-04
7.5E-05
0.0E+00
0

10

20

30

40

sample #

45

90

135

180

Phase (deg)

225

270

Discharge Energy (J)

CY4 Total DE vs Total Charge

315

6.0E-04
5.0E-04
4.0E-04
3.0E-04
2.0E-04
1.0E-04
360
0.0E+00
0.0E+00

1.5E+04

3.0E+04

4.5E+04

Total Charge (pC)

6.0E+04

4500

1.8

4000

1.6

3500

1.4

3000

1.2

2500

2000

0.8

1500

0.6

1000

0.4

500

0.2

Qtot
r

51

46

41

36

31

26

21

16

11

0
1

r (mm)

Qtot (pC)

CY2 Tree Radial Extent and Total Charge

Image Record number

4500

2.0E-07

4000

1.8E-07

3500

1.6E-07
1.4E-07

3000

1.2E-07

2500

1.0E-07

2000

8.0E-08

1500

A (m sq)

Qtot
A

6.0E-08

Image Record number

53

49

45

41

37

33

29

25

21

17

0.0E+00
13

2.0E-08

0
9

4.0E-08

500
5

1000

Qtot (pC)

CY2 Tree Area and Total Charge

CY2 Tree/Light Composite processed

Discharge Energy (J)

CY5 Total Discharge Energy

8.0E-05
7.0E-05
6.0E-05
5.0E-05
4.0E-05
3.0E-05
2.0E-05
1.0E-05
0.0E+00
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

sample #

1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2

85

78

71

64

57

50

43

36

29

22

15

0.0

Radial Extent (m m )

CY5 Light Radial Extent

sample #

60000
50000
40000
30000
20000

CY5 Tree/Light Composite processed

10000

sample #

85

78

71

64

57

50

43

36

29

22

15

In ten sity (AU )

CY5 Light Intensity

15

2.2

Applied V oltage (kV )

14
2

FD (final)

1.8

1.6

1.4

13
12
11
10
9
8

1.2

R2 = 0.7428

R2 = 0.9502

1
7

10

11

12

13

14

15

5E-10

1.5E-09

2E-09

2.5E-09

3E-09

3.5E-09

Area Growth Rate (metres sq/sec)

Applied Voltage (kV rms)

60

2.2

50

40

1.8

30

1.6

FD

Discharge Rate (N/cycle)

1E-09

20

1.4

10

0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Mean Charge per Cycle (pC/cycle)

5000

R2 = 0.9713

1.2

R2 = 0.9279

6000

1
50

70

90

110

Mean Discharge (pC)

130

150

Conclusions

PD activity in terms of total charge, mean charge and maximum charge is linked to
the radial and area growth of the tree structure and its fractal dimension

Applied voltage is the most significant parameter in determining tree area growth rate

FD of tree structure is dependent on both applied voltage and propagation time

Mean discharge correlates well with FD of the tree structure

Radial growth varies with intensity of PD activity

Burst mode activity is responsible for the rapid radial growth of the tree structure

Non-burst activity is due to as yet undetermined discharge retardation mechanisms.

Tree growth still occurs within the tree structure closer to the pin in this mode

Further Work
Discharge energy analysis
Burst mode and non-burst mode analysis
Correlations between light emission tree growth and discharge
energy