V-t characteristics of partial discharge inception in liquid nitrogen/ PPLP/sup /spl reg// composite insulation system for HTS cable

In this paper, we studied partial discharge (PD) inception characteristics and V-t characteristics of PD inception in liquid nitrogen (LN/sub 2/)/polypropylene laminated paper (PPLP/sup /spl reg//) composite insulation system for high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable. Experimental results revealed that the magnitude of initial PD was in the range of 2.0-30 pC irrespective of butt gap condition and the initial PD was generated at the first and third quadrant of voltage phase. PD inception electric field strength (PDIE) without butt gap was 5-10% higher than that with butt gap and thicker butt gap gave larger PDIE drop. Moreover, PDIE with butt gap depended on the butt gap thickness and the number of PPLP/sup /spl reg// layers. The reason is explained by the existing probability of weak points of electrical insulation at butt gap. Finally, lifetime indices n of V-t characteristics at PD inception were obtained as 80-100 irrespective of butt gap condition. These values showed enough flat characteristics of V-t phenomena of electrical insulation.     

Partial discharge inception characteristics under butt gap condition in liquid nitrogen/ PPLP/sup /spl reg// composite insulation system for high temperature superconducting cable

The partial discharge (PD) inception characteristics are studied in liquid nitrogen (LN/sub 2/)/polypropylene laminated paper (PPLP/sup /spl reg//) composite insulation system for high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable. Experimental results revealed that the magnitude of the initial PD increased as the PD inception electric field strength was increased, because the injected energy increased. Initial PD was generated at the first and third quadrant of applied AC voltage phase. The probability of initial PD at the positive and negative voltage phase was almost the same. The reason is because liquid nitrogen is a nonpolar molecule and we used symmetric electrode configuration with uniform electric field distribution. Finally, it was pointed out that PD inception electric field strength (PDIE) depended on the volume of the butt gap because of the increasing probability of weak points of electrical insulation, and PDIE linearly decreased with increasing stressed volume of the butt gap in the log-log scale.     

Characteristics of laminated tape insulation in high vacuum at cryogenic temperature

A composite insulation system of laminated tape and high vacuum is newly proposed for a superconducting bus-line cable operated at relatively low voltage. Its breakdown characteristics were investigated using model cable specimens with different kinds of laminated tapes such as semisynthetic paper, polypropylene film, and kraft paper of insulation thickness less than 1 mm. First, ±dc, ac, and —Imp breakdown stresses of the semisynthetic papers were investigated. +dc breakdown stress was 21.7 kV/mm for a specimen of insulation thickness 1 mm and −dc breakdown stress was 41.5 kB/mm, so that the remarkable polar effect was observed. ac breakdown stress was 18 kV/mm. Also, the ratio of −Imp breakdown stress was about 3. Furthermore, ac breakdown stresses of other tapes were investigated, but remarkable differences among their stresses were not observed. Most of the specimens were broken from the “butt gap” between tapes. To understand this cause, measurements of the partial discharge were carried out. It was found that the inception stress of partial discharge of butt gap located just on the conductor was about 20 kV/mm, not dependent on the kind of tape. This value is much lower than the breakdown stress of the same length of vacuum gap. Therefore, it is considered that the trigger of the breakdown of this insulation system is the surface discharge along the edge of the butt gap. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 121(3): 20–26, 1997     

Partial discharge inception characteristics of LN/sub 2//polypropylene laminated paper composite insulation system for high temperature superconducting cables

Partial discharge (PD) inception characteristics of liquid nitrogen (LN₂)/polypropylene (PP) laminated paper composite insulation system for high temperature superconducting (HTS) cables were investigated in terms of the volume effect and the V-t characteristics. The electrical and optical measurements of PD inception characteristics showed that initial PD could be generated between PP laminated paper layers, as well as in a butt gap. Using a parameter called statistically stressed liquid volume (SSLV) based on the discharge probability in both butt gaps and LN₂-filled thin layers between PP laminated papers, we could systematically analyze and evaluate the volume effect on PD inception stress (PDIE). Furthermore, experimental results revealed that n values of V-t characteristics at PD inception were as high as 80-110. On the other hand, the lower n values obtained at breakdown were interpreted by the intensified PD development in thermal bubbles generated after the PD inception     

Power frequency dependence of space charge behavior and partial discharge characteristics in SF/sub 6/ gas

The partial discharge (PD) and breakdown (BD) characteristics in SF/sub 6/ gas under commercial and higher frequency (/spl sim/600 Hz) ac voltage applications were investigated using high-speed electrical and optical measuring techniques with phase gate control method. Experimental results revealed that 400 Hz BD voltage at a certain gas pressure range was higher than that for 60 Hz and PD characteristics especially at the positive PD inception phase were much influenced by the applied power frequency. From these results, we clarified the dependence of space charge behavior on the applied power frequency and discussed the physical mechanism of PD and BD in SF/sub 6/ gas with consideration of the space charge behavior generated by PD in the previous half cycle of ac voltage.     

Verification tests and insulation design method of cold dielectric superconducting cable

A High‐Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cable has a bulk power transmission capacity as a candidate for the replacement of aged cables and/or for the increase of the power transmission capacity, and its diameter is preferred to be smaller than the inner diameter of the duct for the existing cables. To reduce the diameter of HTS cable, the cold dielectric (CD)‐type electrical insulation in which a cable core is immersed into liquid nitrogen (LN₂) should be adopted, and the thickness of its electrical insulation layer has to be optimized. Since a partial discharge (PD) in the electrical insulation layer of the CD‐type HTS cable is considered as a major cause for the aging of the insulation layer, PD‐free design must be adopted for the CD‐type HTS cable. This paper describes a design method for the electrical insulation layer of the CD‐type HTS cable adopting the PD‐free design under AC stress, based on the experimental results such as a PD inception stress (PDIE), an impulse breakdown stress, and PD extinction characteristics under AC stress superimposed with an impulse stress. Moreover, the proposed design method was applied to a 500‐m HTS cable and was verified by a field test. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 164(2): 25–36, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20512     

Comparative tests of tape dielectrics impregnated with liquid nitrogen

Superconducting power cables with so-called "cold dielectric" insulation system normally use tape dielectrics impregnated with pressurized liquid nitrogen (LN2). The AC and lightning impulse (LI) dielectric strength of four commercially available dielectrics have been measured under nitrogen pressures in the range 0.15-0.35 MPa, absolute. A planar test cell is used, and slits were made in the dielectric sheets to simulate butt gaps. Polypropylene laminated paper (PPLPreg) and mica filled polyamide based paper (Nomexreg 418) show AC and LI breakdown field in the range 50-80 kV/mm and 130-160 kV/mm, respectively, whereas Kraft paper and polyethylene paper (Tyvekreg) are found to have a significantly lower dielectric strength. Most of the results are reasonably consistent with previous studies. However, as opposed to other investigations, the dielectric strength for PPLPreg and Nomexreg is not found to increase with increasing nitrogen pressure     

Selectivity of damped AC (DAC) and VLF voltages in after-laying tests of extruded MV cable systems

The purpose of HV after-laying tests on cable systems on-site is to check the quality of installation. The test on extruded MV cable systems is usually a voltage test. However, in order to enhance the quality of after installation many researchers have proposed performance of diagnosis tests such as detection, location and identification of partial discharges (PD) and tan /spl delta/ measurements. Damped AC voltage (DAC) also called oscillating voltage waves (OVW) is used for PD measurement in after-laying tests of new cables and in diagnostic test of old cables. Continuous AC voltage of very low frequency (VLF) is used for withstand voltage tests as well as for diagnostic tests with PD and tan /spl delta/ measurements. Review on the DAC and VLF tests to detect defects during on-site after-laying tests of extruded MV cable systems is presented. Selectivity of DAC and VLF voltages in after-laying testing depends on different test parameters. PD process depends on type and frequency of the test voltage and hence, the breakdown voltage is different. The withstand voltage of XLPE cable insulation decreases linearly with increasing frequency in log scale. Experimental studies with artificial XLPE cable model indicate that detection of defects with DAC or VLF voltage can be done at a lower voltage than with DC. DAC voltage is sensitive in detecting defects that cause a breakdown due to void discharge, while VLF is sensitive in detecting defects that cause breakdown directly led by inception of electrical trees.     

Electrical breakdown triggered by a free conducting spherical particle in saturated liquid He I and He II under uniform dc field

This paper is concerned with the pre-breakdown phenomena and the breakdown voltage characteristics, in the presence of a free moving conducting spherical particle, of saturated normal liquid helium (He I) and saturated superfluid liquid helium (He II) under uniform dc field. Experiments show that the particle lifts off around the theoretical value of the lift-off electric field, and the particle oscillates between the electrodes at higher applied voltages. In that case, the microdischarge appears just before the charged particle collides with the oppositely charged electrode, and the bubble is generated at the moment of every collision of the particle with the electrode. It is confirmed theoretically as well as experimentally that the maximum bubble radius in He II is nearly proportional to the E/sub in//sup 1/3/, which is the released energy from the particle for the bubble generation. The insulation environment before the electrical breakdown suddenly changes at the /spl lambda/-point since the bubble behavior in He I and He II greatly differs. In the characteristics of the breakdown voltage vs. liquid pressure, a clear discontinuity appears at the /spl lambda/-point. Furthermore, the breakdown voltage in the parallel plane gap contaminated by a particle is lower than that in the rod-plane gap without a particle. It is found that the breakdown voltage characteristics are closely related to the trigger effect of the microdischarge and the bubble generation.     

Impulse breakdown superposed on ac voltage in XLPE cable insulation

This paper discusses tree inception and breakdown voltage characteristics of XLPE cable insulation subjected to impulse voltages superimposed on ac voltage. The tree initiation tests were performed on laboratory-molded specimens equipped with needle electrodes, whereas the breakdown tests were conducted on a full-sized cable. The impulse tree initiation stress was found to be dependent on the magnitude of the pre-applied ac stress and the relative polarities of the impulse and the ac peak at the instant of their superposition. Although the impulse polarity has an effect on the tree inception, the general behavior is that the tree inception stress always decreases with an increase of the pre-applied ac stress. This phenomenon is discussed in terms of the space charge effect and the influence of the impulse voltage application itself. The impulse strength of a full-sized cable insulation was found to be independent of the pre-applied ac stress as long as that stress did not exceed the operating stress of a 500 kV cable insulation. However, subjecting cable insulation to higher ac stresses before impulse application caused a reduction of its breakdown strength as compared with the insulation without ac prestressing     

High-power/high-brightness diode-pumped 1.9-/spl mu/m thulium and resonantly pumped 2.1-/spl mu/m holmium lasers

We report high power (>36 W) with beam propagation factor M/sup 2//spl sim/2 in a diode end-pumped Tm:LiYF/sub 4/ (Tm:YLF) laser generating output near the 1.91-/spl mu/m region. Using the 1.91-/spl mu/m emission and high brightness achieved with the Tm:YLF laser we resonantly end-pump the Holmium /sup 5/I/sub 7/ manifold in Ho:YAG and demonstrate /spl sim/19 W of continuous-wave (CW) output. The diode-to-Holmium optical to-optical conversion efficiency achieved is /spl sim/18%. Using a CW pumped and repetitively Q-switched configuration, the Tm:YLF pumped Ho:YAG laser achieves >16 W of output power with an M/sup 2//spl sim/1.48 at 15 kHz. A Q-switched frequency range of 9 to >50 kHz is also achieved.     

高温超导电缆及其低温绝缘研究现状

概述了世界上高温超导电缆的研究历史和现状,介绍了高温超导电缆本体的基本结构及绝缘要求,分析了高温超导电缆主绝缘的结构及存在的问题。针对高温超导电缆中使用的液氮和几种低温固体绝缘材料,分别介绍了其在低温环境下介电性能的相关研究进展。总结发现：液氮的击穿场强受到气泡和电极材料的影响;液氮下绝缘材料的直流击穿场强高于交流击穿场强;聚酰亚胺在液氮下的交直流击穿场强高于聚丙烯层压纸;低温会抑制环氧树脂中电树枝的生长。     

Development of 500-kV XLPE cables and accessories for long distanceunderground transmission line. III. Electrical properties of 500-kVcables

500-kV XLPE-insulated cable with an insulation thickness of 27 mm has been developed for long-distance transmission lines. Basic studies on 500-kV XLPE cable have shown that contaminants in the insulation may be the factor determining electrical performance. This hypothesis is justified by the good correlation obtained between statistical estimations of the size of the largest contaminant in the insulation and the electrical characteristics of full-sized cables. Voltage-withstand and long-term tests have confirmed the design values for minimum breakdown stress, for AC and impulse voltage, and for the degradation coefficients     

Dielectric insulation characteristics ofliquid-nitrogen-impregnated laminated paper-insulated cable

The electrical characteristics and insulation design strength of liquid-nitrogen-impregnated synthetic insulation were considered. The impregnation of liquid nitrogen into insulation paper can be monitored by measuring the electrostatic capacitance of the cable. ∈ tan δ, an index of the dielectric loss, was 0.31% for cellulose paper and 0.18% for semisynthetic paper, polypropylene laminated semisynthetic paper, and biaxially oriented polypropylene laminated paper. It was found that the decline of the thickness dependence of the breakdown strength of the liquid-nitrogen-impregnated insulating cable was steeper than that of the oil-filled cables. It is possible to design the insulation strength of the 66 kV cable to be 10 kV/mm     

10kV XLPE电缆接头连接管含空气隙缺陷的电场分析

为研究连接管与内应力锥之间含空气隙和误缠绕绝缘带两类缺陷的电场分布情况,用电场解析建模分析了该缺陷的灵敏度.分析表明两类缺陷的灵敏度均小于零,其绝对值随厚度增加逐渐减小.利用有限元法对接头两类缺陷进行了建模,并对两类缺陷厚度h分别为0.5mm、1.0mm、2.0mm的3种情况进行了电场仿真.结果表明:场强畸变程度与厚度...     

Development of 500-kV XLPE cables

A 500-kV XLPE insulated cable with an insulation thickness of 27 mm has been developed for long-distance transmission lines. Basic studies on the 500-kV XLPE cable have shown that contaminants in the insulation may determine electrical performance. This hypothesis is justified by the good correlation obtained between statistical estimations of the size of the largest contaminant in the insulation and electrical characteristics of full-size cables. Voltage-withstand and long-term tests have confirmed design values for minimum breakdown stress, ac and impulse voltage, and degradation coefficients. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (1): 28–40, 1997     

Thermal-stability improvement of a sulfur-passivated InGaP/InGaAs/GaAs HFET

The temperature-dependent characteristics of an InGaP/InGaAs/GaAs heterostructure field-effect transistor (HFET), using the (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/S/sub x/ solution to form the InGaP surface passivation, are studied and demonstrated. The sulfur-passivated device shows significantly improved dc and RF performances over a wide temperature range (300-510 K). With a 1/spl times/100-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ gate-dimension HFET by (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/S/sub x/ treatment, the considerably improved thermal stability over dc performances including lower temperature variation coefficients on the turn-on voltage (-1.23 mV/K), the gate-drain breakdown voltage (-0.05 mV/K), the gate leakage current (1.04 /spl mu/A/mm/spl middot/K), the threshold voltage (-1.139 mV/K), and the drain-saturation-current operating regimes (-3.11/spl times/10/sup -4//K) are obtained as the temperature is increased from 300 to 510 K. In addition, for RF characteristics, the sulfur-passivated device also shows a low degradation rate on drain-saturation-current operating regimes (-3.29/spl times/10/sup -4//K) as the temperature is increased from 300 to 400 K. These advantages provide the promise for high-speed high-frequency high-temperature electronics applications.     

Impulse partial discharge and breakdown characteristics of rod-plane gaps in N/sub 2//SF/sub 6/ gas mixtures

Impulse partial discharge (PD) and breakdown (BD) characteristics of rod-plane gaps in N/sub 2//SF/sub 6/ gas mixtures were investigated for different gap geometry, gas pressure and SF/sub 6/ gas content. Experimental results revealed that the 50% probability breakdown voltage increased with gas pressure, which agreed with the theoretical values with consideration of discharge time lag for impulse voltage application. For the calculation of discharge inception voltage, the volume-time theory was successfully applied to the N/sub 2//SF/sub 6/ gas mixture. Furthermore, impulse PD light emission image was observed together with PD current pulse and light intensity waveforms. The long discharge with stepwise propagation and double-peak PD pulses could be observed, which corresponded to the streamer/leader transition leading to breakdown.     

Flashover voltage of alumina ceramic contaminated by metal vapor in vacuum interrupters

We investigated the influence of metal vapor contamination of ceramic surfaces on flashover voltage (FOV) in vacuum. First, disk shape alumina (Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/) ceramics with surface resistivity (/spl rho/) of 10/sup 2/-10/sup 15/ /spl Omega/ were produced using deposition phenomena of metal vapor emitted from CuCr contacts. The impulse FOV for the ceramics decreased, as /spl rho/ reduced; FOV, the conditioning effect on FOV, and the scattering of FOV decreased when /spl rho/ was below 10/sup 12/ /spl Omega/. Therefore, the criterion value /spl rho/, which maintains excellent flashover performances of ceramic surface, is 10/sup 12/ /spl Omega/. Second, experimental vacuum interrupters (VIs) were produced to measure breakdown voltage before and after forty short-circuit current switchings with 20-40 kA/sub rms/ and were disassembled to measure the /spl rho/ of their inner ceramic surface. In a VI, which has inside diameters at both ends of the main shield much larger than the contact diameter, /spl rho/ was reduced to 10/sup 4/ /spl Omega/, further decreasing breakdown voltage between terminals.