Household consumers and industry require a continuous supply of electricity with a required level of power quality, which creates the need for better and more reliable distribution networks.
The proper functioning of the devices, which is a required condition for uninterrupted supply of electricity, can be verified in a number of different ways. One of them is to monitor the insulation status of the voltage devices, and to determine the adequacy of the device's operation, given the measured activity of partial discharges in the insulation media.
The physical background of partial discharges is presented at the beginning of the master's thesis, in order to make understanding of the measurements of the insulation state of energy devices easier. A comparison is made between the methods of measuring partial discharges, which have been in use for a long time, and the ones that are only just being established in the market. Manufacturers of measuring instruments and sensors are also featured. Details of distribution network devices such as GIS devices, power transformer and switchgear are covered in more detail. Each set of devices also includes practical examples of measurements and displays of results in different types of graphs.
It was found that newer methods of measuring partial discharges with their advantages could become indispensable parts of device control and would allow distribution companies to come up with an effective network control strategy. The advantage of the newer methods (unconventional methods) is measurement during the operation, which means that it is not necessary to interrupt the power supply to the consumers. A good knowledge of the method can detect the deterioration of the device's insulation system. We can then respond properly by replacing or repairing the device components, which can prevent unexpected power outages and help us avoid dangerous situations.
|
