OMICRON Magazine

ALL IT TAKES IS A SPARK… Samuel Scheller, our PD monitoring solu- tions product manager, explains how PD plays a role in assessing the insula- tion condition of electrical equipment, as well as when and how our different PD detection solutions are used to keep your electrical equipment running reliably throughout its entire life cycle. How do insulation defects affect electrical assets? Insulation defects are a major cause of failure in electrical assets, such as power transformers, rotating machines, power cables, and circuit breakers among others. These defects, such as voids and cracks, can occur in the manufacturing process as well as during transport and onsite installation. The insulation in electrical equipment also experiences accelerated aging from thermal, electrical, ambient and mechani- cal stress when in service. Sooner or later, these defects will lead to asset failure. However, performing time-based main- tenance will not detect a rapid deteriora- tion in insulation condition, which could lead to a failure that causes an unfore- seen outage and costly downtime. What is partial discharge? Partial discharge, or PD, is caused by local electrical stress in the insulation or on the surface of the insulation in electrical equipment. It not only indicates insulation defects but it is also responsible for devel- oping them. PD is therefore a good indica- tor of dielectric condition and is present well in advance of insulation failure. Over time, PD activity becomes more in- tense and dangerous, causing progressive damage to electrical insulation. This dete- rioration can develop to the point where an electrical breakdown, or flashover The importance of partial discharge measurement and monitoring Partial discharge (PD) is both a cause and indication of de- veloping damage to electrical insulation. Our PD testing and monitoring solutions help you detect and assess insulation defects which can lead to failures in electrical equipment. 20