2009 Annual Report Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena

Experimental Study on the Relationship between

Partial Discharge and Gas Decomposition Products in
SF6 Insulated Electrical Equipments
QI Bo 1, LI Cheng-rong 1, WU Zhang-jian 2, ZHANG Yong 1, ZHENG Shu-sheng 1
(1. Beijing Key Laboratory of High Voltage & EMC, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206,
P.R.China;2. North China Grid Company Limited, Beijing 100053, P.R.China)
Abstract- SF6 decomposition serves as an effective means for on- II. EXPERIMENTAL PLATFORM
line fault detection and diagnosis of SF6 insulated equipments. 2.1 Experimental Apparatus
The relationship between SF6 decomposition products and Simple simulation on coaxial configuration may result in
partial discharge (PD) in SF6 insulated equipments remains a
significant theoretical and practical issue to be addressed. Based
misleading information. However, the present experiment uses
on the simulations of protrusion discharge, floating discharge a factual 110kVGIS apparatus to guarantee authentic
and surface discharge in SF6 insulated equipments, the present simulation of various faults. The L-shaped three-phase
experiment studied the impacts of differentiated PD patterns, PD apparatus consists of five plate insulators and four
severities and SF6 pressures on the concentrations of SF6 independent chambers of different sizes, which ensures that
decomposition products as well as the change in concentrations different discharge fault models could all be placed within the
over time. The experimental results indicate that three kinds PD structure. The structure of the experimental apparatus could be
pattern discharges produce SOF2+SO2 and HF, the seen in Fig.1 below. All the experiments presented in this
concentration of the SOF2+SO2 being always higher than HF. research were performed in chamber 3.
Generation of both gases increase with voltage application time;
The concentrations of SOF2+SO2 and HF differ from
differentiated PD discharge strength, and increase as discharge
strength ascends; A negative relationship exists between SF6 gas
pressure and the generation speed of SOF2+SO2 and HF. It is
concluded that SF6 decomposition products, SOF2+SO2 and HF
in particular, could be used as a means for on-line PD faults
detection and diagnosis.

I. INTRODUCTION
Internal conditions of SF6-insulated equipments are usually
diagnosed by means of partial discharge detection [1]. Partial
discharge functions as both precursor and embodier of
insulation failure. Long-standing partial discharge results in
gradual insulation degradation which may lead to the surface
flashover and insulation breakdown [2-3]DŽ
Conventionally, what is applied in partial discharge
detection in SF6 insulated equipments [4-8] includes impulsive
current, ultra high frequency (UHF), acoustic and gas
decomposition. Compared to others, gas decomposition shows
apparent advantage in terms of anti-interference against
electromagnetic noises and vibration and easy applicability for
the diagnosis of overheating fault. Substantial studies [9-11]
have analyzed the complicated physical and chemical process
of SF6 decomposition. Among them, the relation between
partial discharge and SF6 decomposition products remains one
of the important issues worth addressing. However, a review
of literature in this regard finds little about that. To fill in the
gap, the present research attempts to analyze the impacts of
partial discharge pattern, PD discharge strength and SF6 gas
pressure over the concentration of SF6 decomposition
products. These findings are expected to provide a technical
reference and basis for the on-line fault detection and
diagnosis of SF6 insulated equipments.
Fig.1 Structure of Experimental Apparatus
2.2 Discharge Models
Partial discharges in SF6 insulated equipments are induced
by the insulation deficiency. Different types of insulation
deficiencies cause different types of partial discharge. In light
of fault frequency, fault attributes and modeling difficulties,
the present research simulates three types of partial discharge
models, i.e. protrusion discharge, floating discharge and
surface discharge.
2.2.1 Protrusion Discharge Model
It is simulated with a cooper wire of 2mm in diameter and
26mm in length. The cooper wire is fixated to the high-voltage
conductor. The distance from the ends of the cooper wire to
the apparatus surface is 4mm. An image of the actual
protrusion discharge model is shown in Fig.2.
Fig.2 Protrusion Discharge Model

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2.2.2 Floating Discharge Model
For floating discharge, a piece of large-volume metal is used
to model the floating body over the high voltage conductor.
The iron metal keeps a distance of 23mm from the high
voltage conductor. Fig.3 shows the floating discharge model.
Fig.3 Floating Discharge Model
2.2.3 Surface Discharge Model
Surface discharge model involves an insulator chip, on
which 7 cooper particles of 0.5mm in diameters and 10mm in
length are placed. The insulator chip is fixated to the clip of
high-voltage conductor with its bottom connected to the
apparatus surface. Fig.4 presents the surface discharge model.
Fig.5 Sketch Illustration of the Experiment and Detection Circuit
III. PARTIAL DISCHARGE PATTERNS AND SF6
DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS
3.1 Experimental Methods
During the experiments, PDM records the maximum value
(Qmax) the average value (Qave) and the total value (Qtotal)
of partial discharge as well as the discharge number (N) every
10 hours of voltage application. The concentrations of
decomposition products are also measured.
3.2 Experimental Results
Discharge properties under the circumstances of three partial
discharge patterns are displayed in Table 2. The concentrations
of SOF2+SO2 are shown in Table 3. HF concentration is
presented in Table 4.
Tab.2
Discharge Properties under three PD Patterns
'LVFKDUJH
4PD[S& 4DYHS& 1 4WRWDOS&
3DWWHUQ
Protrusion 600 179  
Floating 5000 615  
Surface 4500 561  
Tab.3
SOF2+SO2 Concentrations under Three PD Patterns
Discharge Results˄ul/L˅
Fig.4 Surface Discharge Model Patterns 10h 20h 30h 40h 50h 60h
2.3 SF6 Decomposition Products Detection Device Protrusion 0 0.01 0.05 0.1 0.42 ˉ
The detection of SF6 decomposition products could be Floating 0 0.05 0.12 0.18 ˉ ˉ
conducted by virtue of Detector Tube (DT), Gas Sensor (GS), Surface 0 0 0 0 0.3 0.5
Gas Chromatography (GC), Ion Chromatograph (IC), Infrared Tab.4
Absorption Spectroscopy (IAS), Photoacoustic Spectroscopy HF Concentrations under Three PD Patterns
Discharge Results (ul/L)
(PAS) and etc.[12] The present research employs gas sensor Patterns 10h 20h 30h 40h 50h 60h
approach to detect SF6 decomposition products. The related Protrusion 0 0 0.02 0.12 0.2 ˉ
detection parameters are listed in the Tab.1 below. Floating 0 0 0.05 0.13 ˉ ˉ
Tab.1 Surface 0 0 0 0 0.05 0.12
Detection Parameters for SF6 Decomposed Products
Gas Sensitivity Accuracy
3.3 Experimental Data Analysis
İ2­/L ˈerrorİf0.1­l/L˗ According to the data in Tab.3 and Tab.4, Fig.6 and Fig.7
SOF2+SO2 İ0.1­l/L
˚2­l/L ˈerrorİf0.2­l/L demonstrate the trend of change in SOF2+SO2 and HF
HF İ0.1­l/L
İ2­/Lˈerrorİf0.1­l/L˗ concentrations under three discharge patterns as a function of
˚2­l/Lˈerrorİf0.2­l/L voltage application time.
2.4 The Experiment and Detection Circuit
The experiment circuit is shown in the Fig.5. The
experiment voltage outputs by way of self-coupling booster
T1 into no-corona testing transformer T2. Zch represents
protection resistance, Cx the PD models, Co the high voltage
capacitor coupling the impulsive current signals, and Zm
represents the impedance of the PD detector. PDM is the PD
detection monitoring system, which is composed of a DST-4
detector, a DL1540L oscilloscope and a R610 computer. The
Fig.6 Change in SOF2+SO2 Concentrations as a Function of Voltage
PD signals collected by the DST-4 are transferred into the Application Time
computer for statistical analysis. The minimum detectable
charge is 5pC.

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 Fig.7 Change in HF Concentrations as a Function of Voltage Application
Time
From Tab.2, Tab.3, Tab.4, Fig.6 and Fig.7, it is observed that
i) protrusion discharge, floating discharge, and surface
discharge all produce SOF2+SO2 and HF gases, which could
be identified as characteristic gases for detecting partial
discharge in SF6 insulated equipments; ii) both concentrations
of SOF2+SO2 and HF increase as the voltage application time
extends; iii) production speeds of SOF2+SO2 and HF
increases with the time of voltage application; iv) under all
three partial discharge patterns involved, the concentrations of
SOF2+SO2 is observed to be always higher than that of HF.
IV. PARTIAL DISCHARGE STRENGTH AND SF6
DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS
4.1 Experimental Methods
The present research selects floating discharge model (Fig.3)
for different voltage application experiments. During the
experiments, PDM records Qmax, Qave, N, and Qtotal under
differentiated discharge strength. After every 10 hours of
voltage application, concentrations are measured.
4.2 Experimental Results
Discharge properties under three PD strength (65kV, 75kV
and 80kV) are displayed in Table.5. Measurements of
SOF2+SO2 concentrations are provided in Table.6. The
measurements of HF concentrations are presented in Table.7.
Tab.5
Discharge Characteristics under Three PD Severities
([SHULPHQW
9ROWDJH
Fig.8 Change in OF2+SO2 Concentrations as a Function of Voltage
Application Time
Fig.9 Change in HF Concentrations as a Function of Voltage Application
Time
From the tables 6 and 7, and the figures 8 and 9, it could be
learned that after 10 hours of voltage application, SF6
undertakes zero decomposition under 65kV and 75 kV, and
only a limited amount of 0.05ul/L SOF2+SO2 under 80 kV.
After 20, 30 and 40 hours of the voltage application, both the
concentrations of SOF2+SO2 and HF increase with increasing
the applied voltage. The higher the number of partial discharge
is, the larger the discharge charge will be, and hence the
greater the discharge energy will be. The volume of SF6
decomposition products bears direct relation with the total
partial discharge energy. As all three experiment voltages are
concerned, 80kV witnesses larger total discharge value and
energy, and hence higher concentration in SF6 decomposition
products, compared to 65kV and 75kV. It can be inferred that i)
the stronger the PD is, the easier SF6 gas decomposes, and the
4PD[S& 4DYHS& 1 4WRWDOS& greater decomposition concentrate are; ii) The gas detection
65kV 5000 1500   method is well applicable on consecutive and severe PD faults
75kV 10000 1099   whereas it shows little sensitivity to micro PD faults.
80kV 25000 3140  
Tab.6 V. SF6 PRESSURE AND SF6 DECOMPOSITION
SOF2+SO2 Concentrations under Three PD Severities PRODUCTS
Experiment Results, ul/L
Voltage 10h 20h 30h 40h
5.1 Experimental Methods
65kV 0.00 0.05 0.12 0.18 In the present experiment, floating discharge model (Fig.3)
75kV 0.00 0.02 0.11 0.23 is selected to study the relation between SF6 pressures
80kV 0.05 0.12 0.16 0.29 (0.2MPa, 0.3MPa and 0.4MPa) and SF6 decomposition
Tab.7 products. During the experiments, PDM records Qmax, Qave,
HF Concentrations under Three PD Severities
Experiment Results, ul/L
N, and Qtotal under differentiated SF6 pressures. The
Voltage 10h 20h 30h 40h concentrations of decomposition products are measured every
65kV 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.13 10 hours period of the voltage application.
75kV 0.00 0.10 0.16 0.23 5.2 Experimental Results
80kV 0.00 0.13 0.19 0.32 Discharge properties under three differentiated pressures
4.3 Experiment Data Analysis (0.2MPa, 0.3MPa, and 0.4MPa) are listed in Table 8 below.
The tables 6 and 7, and the figures 8 and 9 show the change Measurements of SOF2+SO2 concentrations are shown in
in SOF2+SO2 and HF concentrations under differentiated Table 9 while measurements of HF concentrations are
discharge strength scales as a function of voltage application presented in Table 10.
time.

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 Tab.8 VI. CONCLUSIONS
Discharge Characteristics under Three SF6 Pressures
1) Protrusion discharge, floating discharge, and surface
3UHVVXUH 4PD[S& 4DYHS& 1 4WRWDOS&
0.2MPa 5000 1405
discharge in SF6 insulated equipments all produce SOF2+SO2
 231825
0.3MPa 4800 1239  240366
and HF gases, which are suggested to be the characteristic
0.4MPa 5000 1588  225496 gases for detecting partial discharge in SF6 insulated
Tab.9 equipments. In light of all three partial discharge patterns
SOF2+SO2 Concentrations under Three Differentiated SF6 Pressures involved, the concentration of SOF2+SO2 is observed to be
Pressure
Results , ul/L always higher than that of HF. The production speeds of
10h 20h 30h 40h 50h SOF2+SO2 and HF increase as the voltage application time
0.2MPa 0.00 0.02 0.16 0.22 ˉ
prolongs.
0.3MPa 0.00 0.05 0.12 0.18 ˉ
0.4MPa 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.07
2) In presence of different degrees of partial discharge strength,
Tab.10 the concentrations of SOF2+SO2 and HF appear to be
HF Concentrations under Three Differentiated SF6 Pressures different. The more severe the partial discharge is, the higher
Pressure
Results, ul/L the concentrations of SOF2+SO2 and HF will be. The gas
10h 20h 30h 40h 50h detection method applies well on consecutive and severe
0.2MPa 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.17 ˉ partial discharge faults in SF6 insulated equipments while it
0.3MPa 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.13 ˉ shows little sensitivity to micro partial discharge faults.
0.4MPa 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.11
3) As SF6 pressure increases, the generation speed of
SOF2+SO2 and HF decreases.
5.3 Experiment Data Analysis
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