Assessment of 23 kV Capacitive Coupler for On-line Partial Discharge Measurements

The partial discharge (PD) measurement is a very effective method to assess the winding insulation condition of high-voltage machines, since most of the insulation failure processes are directly or indirectly caused by PD. On-line PD measurements, which can detect insulation defects of winding in the early stages on rotating machines in operation, have been accepted as the most important technique. The epoxy mica capacitive coupler is currently and extensively used for on-line detection of PD pulses of high-voltage rotating machines. To evaluate the feasibility of developing a capacitive coupler that is easier to manufacture at a lower cost compared to epoxy mica couplers, a 100pF capacitive coupler made of ceramic material is designed, fabricated and tested for on-line PD measurements of 23 kV electrical machines. A series of electrical tests and accelerated aging tests are performed on the ceramic coupler to evaluate the performance requirements, long-term reliability and thermal stability for in field application. The test results show that the newly developed ceramic coupler provides equal and improved performance at a lower cost compared to epoxy mica couplers, and estimated voltage life is anticipated to surpass 100 years.