• Journal of Wind Energy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.5-9
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• 2024

This paper describes the insulation breakdown characteristics of 72.5 kV dry-air insulated switchgear under development for installation in a wind power generator when a lightning impulse voltage is applied. For this study, the weak point of insulation due to the electric field concentration of the switchgear's internal shape was identified by finite element method (FEM) analysis, and the shape was actually simulated to measure and analyze the polarity of the lightning impulse voltage and the insulation breakdown characteristics according to the gas pressure at dry-air pressures of 0.1 Mpa to 0.45 Mpa. This study derives the maximum electric field with a 50 % discharge probability for each switchgear internal insulation vulnerable point based on the actual test and electrical simulation, which will be useful as reference data for supplementing and changing insulation design in the future.