The 5th International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Informatics 2015

August 10-11, 2015, Bali, Indonesia

Partial Discharge Characteristics of Void Defect

in SF6 under Stepped AC Voltage
Rusli Widodo Suwarno
School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics
Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
rusliwdd@gmail.com suwarno@stei.itb.ac.id

Ming-Xiao Zhu Guan-Jun Zhang

State key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power State key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power
Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University
710049, People’s Republic of China 710049, People’s Republic of China
zmxpig@qq.com gjzhang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Abstract—This paper investigates the partial discharge Gas filled cavities in solid dielectric is the main source
characteristics of void defect in SF6 gas insulation under of void discharges. They can be produced during the
stepped alternating current voltage. Two kinds of partial manufacturing process or due to ageing of the insulation.
discharge detection techniques are used, e.g. phase-resolved Fig. 1. shows void in solid/liquid insulation-electrode
partial discharge pattern and current pulse waveform analysis.
system (a) and equivalent circuit (b).
The partial discharge patterns and current pulse waveform are
obtained by using a commercial partial discharge measurement
system and oscilloscope, respectively. With the applied voltage
raised in a regular step, the patterns of partial discharges were
recorded. From the results of phase-resolved partial discharge
(PRPD) patterns and some deduced histograms, statistical
operators like as skewness and kurtosis were calculated, and
used to investigate the partial discharge characteristics. After
that, the statistical signature (fingerprint) information
representing the insulation condition were extracted from the
experimental results. The partial discharge characteristic from
different alternating current applied voltage indicates that Fig. 1. Equivalent circuit of a void for PD [2]
phase-resolved partial discharge patterns and current pulse
waveform (CPWA) vary with applied voltage. The partial Cg is void capacitance; Cb is series capacitance of the
discharge evolution was analyzed using single current pulse material while Cm is the capacitance of the rest insulation.
waveform and sequential current pulse waveform. The voltage v(t) is applied to the series capacitances Cg and
Keywords—GIS; partial discharge; PRPD; CPWA; Cb, when no PD takes place in the preceding cycles, the
fingerprint voltage across the void is [2].
࡯࢈
I. INTRODUCTION ࢂࢍ ሺ࢚ሻ ൌ ࡯ ା࡯ ‫ݒ‬ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ (1)
ࢍ ࢈

Recently, gas insulated substation (GIS) is widely used in II. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
electric power system for its high reliability, less
maintenance, compact size, and suitable for densely Partial discharge measurement under ac voltage were
populated areas. During production, installation, operation provided in the following configuration, as shown fig. 2.
and maintenance of GIS, some defects such as void, particle
etc. can be generated. Therefore, early diagnostic of GIS is Resistance
important for ensuring the reliability of power system. Partial Coupling PD Checker
Test Object
discharge measurement has been well proven to be effective Capasitor ( Ca)
( Ck)
to assess GIS insulation condition. For the purpose of A Capasitive
C
insulation condition assessment, it is necessary to have a Power
Voltage
Devider
good understanding of the partial discharge characteristics. Supply Coupling Detection
Device Impedance
According IEC standard 60270: 2000 [1] partial 50 O

discharge is defined as localized electrical discharge that Digital

only partially bridges the insulation between conductors and HV Test

Transformer
Oscilloscope

which can or cannot occur adjacent to a conductor. The

research presented in this paper aims to investigate the partial
discharge characteristics causing by void defect in SF6 which
is helpful for understanding the characteristic of partial
discharge in order to evaluate the condition of SF6 gas
insulation.
Fig. 2. Experimental configuration for PD measurement under ac voltage
The partial discharge measurement was carried out in the
HV lab. by using the pulse current method for the detection
system. The ac high voltage was generated using a test

978-1-4673-7319-7/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE

181
transformer rated at 50 Hz, 10 kVA, and 0-100 kV. HV
voltage was applied on GIS test chamber, raised in regular
step and discharges occurred in the sample were detected
with a RC detector. The output of the detector was measured
by PDchecker and to measure the waveform of the discharge
current pulse, partial discharge signals were detected by
detection impedance 50 Ω and fed into digital oscilloscope
with maximum sampling rate 10 Gs/s and frequency
response of 2 GHz. The digitized data then transferred to the
personal computer for further analysis.
To simulate the discharges, a void with diameter 1 mm
in epoxy resin was placed in the middle of two-plane
electrodes in 0.2 MPa SF6 gas as shown in fig. 3.
HV
(a)
SF6
Ground plane
elektrode
(a) Epoxy resin plate Ø 60mm, thickness 1mm
Fig. 3. Void defect model
III. PARTIAL DISCHARGE PATTERN
A. Phase-resolved partial discharge analysis
The important parameters to characterize partial
discharge are phase angle φ, partial discharge magnitude q
and partial discharge number n. Statistical parameters are
obtained for phase resolved pattern. The data to be
processed obtained from generator includes φ, q, n and
voltage V. From this data, phase resolved patterns are
obtained. PD pulses are grouped by their phase angle with
respect to the 50 Hz sine wave. Consequently, the voltage
cycle is divided into phase windows representing the phase
angle axis (0 to 360º). If the observations are made for
several voltage cycles, the statistical distribution of
individual PD events can be determined in each phase
window [3] [4] [5] [6].
By measuring pulse distributions as a function of the
phase angle, it is possible to obtain information on the
phenomena that cause these distributions. The following
phase-position quantities were processed: the pulse count
distribution Hn(φ), which represents the number of observed
discharges in each phase window as a function of the phase
angle; and the mean pulse height distribution Hqn(φ), which
represents the average amplitude in each phase window as a
function of the phase angle. Hqn(φ) is derived from the total
discharge amount in each phase window divided by the
pulse number of discharges in the same phase window [4].
B. Statistical parameters
For pattern recognition purposes, the information
contained in the discharge distributions was quantified. The
description of these quantified distribution shapes can be
carried through by various statistical parameters [3] [4] [5]
[6] [7]. The following statistical operators have been
introduced.
182
1) Skewness
Skewness (Sk) describes the asymmetry of the
distribution with respect to a normal distribution, it is
defined as :
୩ ൌ
σሺ୶౟ ିμሻయ ή୔౟
(2)
σయ
Where ‫ݔ‬௜ is the measured value, ܲ௜ ൌ ሺ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬௜ ሻȀ σ௡௜ୀଵ ݂ሺ‫ݔ‬௜ ሻሻ is
the probability of appearance for that value ‫ݔ‬௜ in the ith
phase window, μ ൌ ሺσ ‫ݔ‬௜ ή ܲ௜ ሻ is the mean value, and ߪ is
the variance which ߪ ଶ ൌ ሺσሺ‫ݔ‬௜ െ μሻଶ ή ܲ௜ ሻ. For a symmetric
distribution Sk = 0, if it is asymmetric to the left Sk > 0 and if
it is asymmetric to the right Sk < 0.
2) Kurtosis
Kurtosis (Ku) represents the sharpness of the distribution
with respect to the normal distribution. It is defined as :
σሺ୶౟ ିμሻర ή୔౟
୳ ൌ െ͵ (3)
σర
If the distribution has the same sharpeness as normal
distribution Ku = 0, if it is sharper than normal Ku > 0, and if
it is flatter Ku < 0.
C. Current pulse waveform analysis
Current pulse waveform analysis has been developed,
focusing on partial discharge current pulse waveform
including different physical processes on discharge
inception, propagation and breakdown [8]. The obtained
current pulse waveform can also be analyzed in terms of
different parameters such as peak value, di/dt, rise time (tr),
fall time (tf) of a single pulse, time interval of subsequent
pulses and so on [9]. The rise time corresponds to the period
of electron avalanche and streamer propagation in the
process of partial discharge extension, while fall time
corresponds to the period of space charge drift after the
partial discharge extension, and di/dt would have a close
relationship with the velocity partial discharge extension.
Analysis of the partial discharge waveform characteristics
contributes to the physical understanding of electrical
insulation degradation [10].
PD-CPWA techniques have been developed under the
combination of high-speed, high sensitivity PD
measurement and computer application. The key
technologies are as follows [11]:
x Precise measurement of PD current pulse waveform. The
establishment of PD measuring system with the detection
sensitivity in the charge magnitude as small as 0.1 pC
and the reproducibility of PD current pulse waveform
with the rise time as short as 200-300 ps is the
prerequisite condition of PD-CPWA.
x Long time measurement of PD current pulse waveform
Thousands of PD current pulse waveforms together with
the time resolution of the order of sub-nanoseconds are
necessary to be recorded in the digital oscilloscope.
x Computer-aided analysis of PD parameters. Construction
of the database on PD current pulse waveforms, such as
peak value I, di/dt, rise time tr, fall time tf as illustrated in
fig. 4. is needed to distinguish harmful PD [11].
 6000
Mean Charge +
Mean Charge -
Max Charge +
5000 Max Charge -

4000

PD charge (pC)
3000

2000

1000

Fig.4. Definition of peak value I, di/dt, rise time tr, fall time tf of a single 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4

PD current pulse waveform [11]. Applied voltage (x PDIV)

IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Fig. 6. PD charge of void defect

A. φ-q-n pattern B. PD Fingerprint

Fig. 5, describes the phase-resolved partial discharge
spectrum of the 1 mm void discharge from different applied
voltage. Partial discharge inception voltage (PDIV) occurred
at 4.9 kV. PDs mostly occur in increasing part before peak
of both half cycle, around the zero cross of applied voltage
and distributed up to the peak, the average phase angle are
66 degree and 244 degree for each half cycle, positive PD
Phase-resolved data was used for PD data pattern
analysis and some parameters like as PD waveforms
occurrence, discharge amplitude and phase angle were used.
Fig. 7. shows the characteristics of Hn(φ), Hqave-n(φ), and
Hqmax-n(φ) distribution.
Hn Distribution

amplitude is symmetric with negative ones well-known as

rabbit ear.

Average magnitude (pC)

Phase (deg.)

(a)
Hn Distribution
Average magnitude (pC)

6 kV (1.22x PDIV) 8 kV (1.63x PDIV)

Phase (deg.)

(b)
Fig. 7. Hn, Hqave-n and Hqmax-n distribution of internal discharge from 1
mm void defect at (a) 4.9kV (PDIV), (b) 10kV (2.04x PDIV)

9 kV (1.84x PDIV) 11 kV (2.24x PDIV) The characteristics of Hn(φ), Hqave-n(φ), and Hqmax-n(φ)
distribution were investigated for partial discharge
Fig. 5. Typical φ-q-n patterns for internal discharge in SF6 fingerprint representations using statistical operators as
shown in fig. 8.
Maximum discharge from void defect at all applied ac
voltage is high. Positive maximum charge similar with Hn Ku. -
Hn Ku. +

negative maximum charge at the beginning of the discharge,

Hn Sk. -
Hn Sk. +
Hqmax-n Asym

but after 1.84x PDIV positive maximum charge slightly Hqmax-n cc

Hqmax-n Ku. -

higher than negative maximum charge. The average

Hqmax-n Ku. +
Hqmax-n Sk. -
Hqmax-n Sk. +

discharge is under 500 pC for both half cycle as shown in Hqave-n Asym
Hqave-n cc

fig. 6.
Hqave-n Ku. -
Hqave-n Ku. +
Hqave-n Sk. -
Hqave-n Sk. +

-0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

4.9 kV

183
 C. Repetition rate
Hn Ku. -
Hn Ku. + The partial discharge repetition rate is the total number
of partial discharge pulses recorded in a selected time
Hn Sk. -
Hn Sk. +
Hqmax-n Asym
Hqmax-n cc
Hqmax-n Ku. - interval. It is another important parameter to characterize the
PD behaviours.
Hqmax-n Ku. +
Hqmax-n Sk. -
Hqmax-n Sk. +
Hqave-n Asym
Hqave-n cc
Hqave-n Ku. -
Hqave-n Ku. +
Hqave-n Sk. - 7000
Hqave-n Sk. +
Repetition rate
Repetition rate+
-1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 Repetition rate-
8 kV 6000

5000

Repetition rate (N/s)

4000

Hn Ku. -
Hn Ku. + 3000
Hn Sk. -
Hn Sk. +
Hqmax-n Asym 2000
Hqmax-n cc
Hqmax-n Ku. -
Hqmax-n Ku. + 1000
Hqmax-n Sk. -
Hqmax-n Sk. +
Hqave-n Asym 0
Hqave-n cc
Hqave-n Ku. -
Hqave-n Ku. +
1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4
Hqave-n Sk. -
Hqave-n Sk. +
Applied voltage (x PDIV)
-1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0
10 kV
Fig. 10. Repetition rates over stepped ac applied voltage for void defect in
SF6
Fig. 8. PD Fingerprint of void defect in SF6 under ac voltage 4.9kV, 8kV,
10kV respectively The partial discharge repetition rates reported in here were
calculated after removing all the background noise using the
According fig. 9, the Hn(φ) and Hqave-n(φ) distribution both threshold levels, observations were made on 120 first cycles
in positive and negative half cycle of internal discharge of applied voltage. Fig. 10. shows repetition rate change
became asymmetric to the left Sk > 0 as the applied voltage along with rising of applied voltage, repetition rate increase
increased, meanwhile the sharpness of Hn(φ) and Hqave-n(φ) rapidly and this is indicates that the PD activities are much
distribution move to be flatter than normal distribution Ku < more intensive in higher applied voltage.
0 when the voltage was increased.
D. Partial Discharge Current Pulse Waveform
PD current pulse waveform was measured by detection
Hn Sk+
Hn Sk-
Hqave-n Sk+
impedance 50 Ω. Thousands of PD current pulses together
1 Hqave-n Sk-
with the time resolution of the order of sub-nanoseconds
were recorded in the digital oscilloscope when partial
discharge signals were detected. PD current pulse waveform
Skewness

was obtained from the first recording time duration 6 μs of

0
experimental measurement, were detected by oscilloscope
for each applied voltage in accordance with the recording
time duration 4 μs from experimental measurements, which
-1
is adequate for the average length of typical PD pulses in
1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 various dielectrics [12].
Applied voltage (x PDIV)
Fig. 11, shows typical single PD current pulse waveform
(a) from void defect in SF6 under ac voltage. The physical
phenomena can be seen from the wave shape, double horns
pulse current formed at the higher voltage.
1.5 Hn Ku+
Hn Ku-
Hqave-n Ku+
1.0 Hqave-n Ku-

0.5

0.0
Kurtosis

-0.5

-1.0

-1.5

-2.0
1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4
Applied voltage (x PDIV)
(a) (b)
(b)
Fig. 11. Typical PD current pulse at 0.2 MPa SF6 (a) 6 kV, (b) 11 kV
Fig. 9. Skewness and Kurtosis of Hn(φ) and Hqave-n(φ) distribution under
different AC voltage Parameters of PD current pulse were observed from the
maximum PD current pulse of different applied voltage were
calculated as shown in table1.

184
 TABLE I. PARAMETERS OF SINGLE PD-CURRENT PULSE V. CONCLUSION
WAVEFORM FOR VOID DEFECT
Parameters Partial discharge characteristics of void defect in SF6 gas
Applied voltage (observed from the max. PD current pulse)
under stepped ac voltage can be mentioned as follow:
magnitude rise time fall time pulse width dI /dt
(kV) (A) (ns) (ns) (ns) (A/ns)
x PDs mostly occur in increasing part before peak of both
6 0.005540 17 25.6 29.8 0.000326 half cycle.
7
8
0.007620
0.010500
12.6
18.8
27
28.2
30
33.6
0.000605
0.000559
x From the experimental result, the average phase angle
10 0.004740 15.6 30.8 33.2 0.000304 are 66 degree and 244 degree for each half cycle.
11 0.008900 11.2 49.6 21.2 0.000795
x The patterns of internal discharges because of void
defect at positive and negative cycles of the applied
Fig. 12. shows the number of PDs signal tend to stable but
voltage are symmetric, well-known rabbit-ear.
the amplitude also grow up and pulse width became wider.
x Repetition rate is high, increase along with rising of
The amplitude of negative PD pulse became higher at the 10
applied voltage.
kV (2.04x PDIV).
Double horns pulse current formed at the higher voltage
as the physical phenomena of the PDs evolution in the
internal discharge. From the current pulse waveform
analysis, PD amplitude became higher with the increasing of
the applied voltage.

REFERENCES

[1] International Standard IEC 60270, High Voltage Test Techniques -

Partial Discharge Measurements, 2000.
(a) [2] Suwarno, “Partial Discharges in High Voltage Insulations,” in IEEE
International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science, Bali, Indonesia, 2014.
[3] Namrata Bhosale, Priyanka Kothoke, Amol Deshpande, Dr. Alice N.
Cheeran, “Analysis Of Partial Discharge Using Phase-Resolved (Φ-Q)
And (Φ-N) Statistical Techniques,” in International Journal of
Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 2013.
[4] E. Gulski, F.H. Kreuger, “Computer-aided recognition of Discharge
Sources,” in IEEE Transaction on Electrical Insulation, 1992.
[5] F.H. Kreuger, E. Gulski, A. Krivda, “Classification of Partial
(b) Discharge,” IEEE Transaction on Electrical Insulation, vol. 28 no. 6,
pp. 917-931, 1993.
[6] N.C. Sahoo, M.M.A. Salama, R. Bartnikas, “Trends in Partial
Discharge Pattern Classification: A Survey,” IEEE, vol. 12 no. 2, pp.
248-264, 2005.
[7] C. Chang, Q. Su, “Statistical Characteristics of Partial Discharges
from A Rod-Plane Arrangement”.
[8] H. Okubo, A. Matsushita, S. Watanabe, N. Hayakawa, “Investigation
of Electrical Insulation Diagnosis of Solid Insulators in GIS by Partial
Discharge Current Pulse Waveform Analysis (PD-CPWA),” IEEE,
2002.
(c)
[9] Hitoshi Okubo, Naoki Hayakawa, “A Novel Technique for Partial
Discharge and Breakdown Investigation Based on Pulse Waveform
Analysis,” IEEE Transaction on Dielectric and Electrical Insulation ,
vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 736-744, 2005.
[10] H. Okubo, N. Hayakawa, A. Matsushita, “The Relationship Between
Partial Discharge Current Pulse Waveforms and Physical
Mechanisms,” IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, 2002.
[11] Shigemitsu Okabe, Genyo Ueta, Hiroyuki Hama, Takashi Ito,
Masayuki Hikita, Hitoshi Okubo, “New Aspects of UHF PD
Diagnostics on Gas-insulated Systems,” in IEEE Transactions on
Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, 2014.
(d)
[12] Sa XIAO, Philip J. Moore, Martin D. Judd, Iliana Portugués, “An
Investigation into the Effect of Insulation Defect on Radiometric
Fig. 12. Current pulse waveform (a) 6 kV, (b) 8 kV, (c) 10 kV, (d) 11 kV Partial Discharge Measurements,” in IEEE Electrical Insulation
respectively
Conference, Montreal, Canada, 2009.

185