ONLINE PARTIAL DISCHARGE DETECTION BY HIGH TEMPERATURE ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS

An important obstacle in the life expectancy of high voltage equipment is the progressive and systematic damage to insulation systems caused by Partial Discharge (PD). The evolution of PD activity is symptomatic of the insulation state. The characterization of these PD patterns may provide additional information into the nature and extent of various defects. By looking at a new generation of recently developed piezoelectric sensors with notable features (economic, large broadband frequency response, flexible, miniature, etc.), this study will investigate the applicability of this technology as an efficient partial discharge detector. We will provide experimental validation through a comparative study using conventional system measurements which are widely recognized within the industry.