Assessment of Surface Degradation of Silicone Rubber Caused by Partial Discharge

Kazuki Komatsu, Hao Liu, Mitsuki Shimada and Yukio Mizuno
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Kazuki Komatsu: Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
Hao Liu: Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
Mitsuki Shimada: Information and Analysis Technologies Division, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
Yukio Mizuno: Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: This paper reports experimental and analytical results of partial discharge degradation of silicone rubber sheets in accordance with proposed procedures. Considering the actual usage condition of silicone rubber as an insulating material of polymer insulators, an experimental procedure is established to evaluate long-term surface erosion caused only by partial discharge. Silicone rubber is subjected to partial discharge for 8 h using an electrode system with air gap. Voltage application is stopped for subsequent 16 h for recovery of hydrophobicity. The 24 h cycle is repeated 50 or 100 times. Deterioration of sample surface is evaluated in terms of contact angle and surface roughness. It is confirmed the proposed experimental procedure has advantage of no arc discharge occurrence, good repeatability of results, and possible acceleration of erosion. Surface erosion of silicone rubber progresses gradually and finally breakdown of silicone rubber occurs. Alumina trihydrate (ATH), an additive to avoid tracking and erosion by discharge, is not necessarily effective to prevent breakdown caused by partial discharge when localized electric field in air is enhanced by adding ATH. In such a situation, lower permittivity and higher resistance of silicone rubber seem dominant factors to prevent partial discharge breakdown and a careful insulation design should be required.

Keywords: silicone rubber; partial discharge; degradation; breakdown; contact angle; surface roughness; FTIR; ATH (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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