Study of space-charge characteristics in polyethylene for power cable insulation by laser-induced pressure-pulse technique

By utilizing the laser induced pressure-pulse (LIPP) technique, the behavior of space charge in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) films in contact with metal or carbon-loaded semiconducting layers was studied quantitatively to clarify the space-charge characteristics in power cables. Negative heterospace charge near the anode and positive space charge in the bulk were observed in unoxidized LDPE under the fields above 120 kV/mm. The amount of negative space charge increased with applied field, while positive space charge in the bulk disappeared with increasing applied field. This indicates that electron injection and ionization are enhanced by applied field. Prominent negative homospace charge was formed near the cathode in oxidized LDPE, which indicates that oxidation enhanced electron injection. The depth of charge centroid from the cathode became larger with increasing temperature. This indicates that the effective electron mobility increases with temperature. Negative space charge also was formed in the bulk in XLPE films with metal electrodes, which indicates that crosslinking enhanced electron injection. XLPE films with a carbon-loaded semiconducting layer showed both negative and positive homospace charges near the semiconducting layers, which indicates that both electrons and holes were injected from the semiconducting layer.     

纳米MgO掺杂聚乙烯中空间电荷行为的研究

介绍了采用电声脉冲法测量纯低密度聚乙烯以及氧化镁／低密度聚乙烯（MgO／LDPE）纳米复合介质中的空间电荷,讨论了不同含量的MgO以及不同型号LDPE作为基础材料对复合介质内空间电荷分布的影响。实验结果表明：随着直流电场的增加,在纯聚乙烯中产生电荷注入现象,且随着加压时间的增加,注入的同极性电荷有向另一电极移动的趋势。少量的MgO可以有效抑制复合介质中的空间电荷注入,随着MgO含量的增加,对复合介质的空间电荷注入抑制效果逐渐减弱。     

空间电荷对低密度聚乙烯电气击穿特性的影响

为解决聚乙烯用作电线电缆绝缘材料时所受空间电荷问题的困扰,采用在低密度聚乙烯(low density po-lyethylene,LDPE)试品上施加直流预电压使其中积聚一定量的空间电荷,然后测量试品击穿强度的方法,研究了空间电荷对LDPE击穿特性的影响。结果表明,与未经过预电压处理的LDPE的击穿强度相比,在经过较低场强(50 kV/mm)预电压处理后,预电压与击穿电压极性相同时击穿强度提高了约9%,极性相异时击穿强度降低约14%;而经过较高场强(150 kV/mm)预电压处理后,预电压时LDPE中出现空间电荷包现象,预电压后同极性击穿强度提高约19%,而异极性击穿强度反而上升约16%。分析认为空间电荷包在LDPE中的运动导致了部分空间电荷的中和,使得空间电荷积聚量减少,同时LDPE中可能的缺陷得到了一定程度的老炼而使介质得到了均匀化,从而使LDPE的击穿强度得到了提高。     

Carrier mobility in LDPE at high temperature and pressure

Current peaks due to transient SCLC (space charge limited current) were observed in LDPE (low-density polyethylene) at 70°C. From the time at which the current peak occurs, carrier mobilities ranging from 5×10^-15 to 7×10^-14 m²/Vs were obtained. The mobility values obtained for LDPE depend on both applied field and hydrostatic pressure and verify hopping mechanism. The presence of space charge has been confirmed by analyzing discharge currents measurements     

Electroluminescence measurements to detect accumulated charge atthe electrode-insulator interface

Electroluminescence (EL) spectrum analysis is proposed to detect charge accumulation in insulators. The objective is to find the nature of accumulated space charges at the electrode-insulator interface by using only EL measurements recorded under a moderate ac 50 Hz field. The differences between spectra obtained with virgin samples and treated samples are analyzed. Some experience obtained with 500 μm thick low-density polyethylene (LDPE) samples are described to illustrate the expected modification of the EL spectrum vs, interfacial space charges. Direct space charge measurements, using the laser induced pressure propagation (LIPP) method are used to verify our assumptions. Good agreement is found between EL analysis and experimental data of space charges     

A consideration of potentials of low‐density polyethylene using metallocene catalyst as insulator for power cable

We investigated the high‐field conduction, DC and impulse breakdown strength, space charge distribution, and tree inception voltage for three kinds of new low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) prepared using a metallocene catalyst (mLna, mLao, mLldao), linear LDPE prepared using a Ziegler catalyst (LLao), and LDPE prepared by a high‐pressure process (LDna). The dc and impulse breakdown strengths of LDPEs prepared using a metallocene catalyst were higher than those of LLao and LDna. The high‐field currents of LDPEs prepared using a metallocene catalyst were lower than those of LLao and LDna. A homo‐space charge was accumulated near the cathode in mLna. The tree inception voltage of mLna was higher than that of LDna. From these results, it is concluded that LDPE prepared using a metallocene catalyst has electrical insulating properties superior to the conventional LDPE and that the former has potential as a power cable insulator. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 139(4): 17–25, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.1164     

Space charge formation and breakdown in polyethylene influenced by the interface with semiconducting electrodes

This paper deals with the influence of interface between polyethylene and semiconducting electrode on the space charge formation and electrical breakdown. Low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) films attached with different semiconducting electrodes were subjected to the DC breakdown test, and corresponding space charge distribution was measured. A heat treatment to LDPE itself did not bring about a significant change in space charge profile; however, when a semiconducting electrode was hot‐pressed, the impurities would migrate into LDPE at high temperature, leading to the change in space charge profile. Furthermore, it was suggested from the comparison between the results with degassed and as‐received semiconducting electrodes that some carriers relating to impurities in the electrode would move into LDPE under the voltage. In addition, it was shown that the breakdown is not determined by the field at the cathode which can supply sufficient electrons, but by the maximum field across the specimen, suggesting that an increase in conduction current due to the generation and/or injection, rather than the electronic avalanche process, leads to the breakdown. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 138(3): 19–25, 2002     

Properties of Space Charge Distributions and Conduction Current in XLPE and LDPE under DC High Electric Field

Space charge behavior and conduction current in polyethylene under dc stress were investigated. One of the reasons for the different breakdown property in cross‐linked polyethylene (XLPE) from that in low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) may be based on the existence of cross‐linking by‐products in XLPE. Furthermore, a thermal history in cross‐linking process for XLPE may also cause of the difference. It is generally accepted that the existence of the cross‐linking by‐products increase the conduction current in XLPE under dc stress. It is also said that an anneal treatment in air atmosphere may affect to the electrical properties under dc stress. Therefore, we investigated the effect of the cross‐linking by‐products and the anneal treatment on space charge behavior and conduction current in polyethylene under dc stress. In our research, it is thought that the increasing dissipation power in XLPE is the cause of the breakdown in it under dc stress. Therefore, to calculate the dissipation power in the bulk of test sample, we measured the space charge distribution and the external circuit current simultaneously. Based on the results, we discussed the reason of the difference of the space charge properties in XLPE and LDPE focusing on the cross‐linking by‐products and the oxidation of the test samples.     

氯化聚乙烯共混对聚乙烯的空间电荷效应的影响

在直流电场作用下 ,用电声脉冲法测量了低密度聚乙烯 (LDPE)中空间电荷的分布 ,计算结果表明 ,异极性空间电荷严重畸变试样中的电场的分布。以少量氯化聚乙烯 (CPE)混入低密度聚乙烯中 ,大大降低了试样中的空间电荷 ,电场分布趋向均匀。在正负极性直流预压短路树枝试验中 ,分别提高试样短路树枝起始电压 2 6 8%和 36 3%。通过直流预压和电晕电荷注入后 ,短路过程中空间电荷分布的测量 ,提出氯化聚乙烯的作用机理在于降低了聚乙烯中陷阱的深度和密度。     

Space charge behavior in low-density polyethylene

The space charge distribution in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was measured with the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) method. We used three types of LDPE: LDPE-L and LDPE-H were prepared by the high pressure process, and m-LDPE was polymerized with a metallocene catalyst. Space charge in LDPE strongly depended upon the electrode material. Semiconductive electrodes enhanced carrier injection into LDPE and, as a result, space charge. The density, polymerization process, applied field, temperature and so on also affected the space charge behavior. This space charge behavior was compared with the results of dc current measurements     

冷却介质对低密度聚乙烯空间电荷输运特性的影响

低密度聚乙烯是高压电力电缆的主要绝缘材料,空间电荷被认为是影响电力电缆绝缘安全可靠性的关键因素之一。为此,选用冰水、空气和硅油3种不同冷却方式对聚乙烯试品进行淬火处理,采用电声脉冲法测量系统对聚乙烯试品中空间电荷的消散特性进行了测试,并结合阶梯式升压试验测定空间电荷阈值场强,根据空间电荷限制电流理论推导出总电荷量与电荷迁移率,采用差示扫描量热法分析了试样的结晶度和晶粒尺寸均匀性。试验与分析结果表明:硅油冷却聚乙烯电荷视在迁移率大于冰水、空气冷却试样;3种试样中,硅油冷却聚乙烯结晶度较高,晶粒尺寸分布较均匀,阈值场强较高,而冰水冷却聚乙烯结晶度、晶粒分布均匀性与阈值场强较低。     

TSC measurement of space charge in low-density PE under aneedle-plane electrode system

We have investigated the thermally stimulated current (TSC) in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film and surface potentials built in the LDPE films due to excess charges injected from a needle electrode, using 10, 15 and 20 needle-plane electrode systems. The amount of charge injected and its depth were determined from TSC and thermally stimulated surface potential (TSSP) measurements     

Charge storage and its dynamics in porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film electrets

The outstanding space charge storage stability of porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film electrets is studied by isothermal surface potential decay measurements and open-circuit thermally stimulated discharge (TSD) experiments after corona charging at room and elevated temperatures, or corona charging at RT and then aging at different temperatures. Charge storage properties of porous PTFE, nonporous PTFE (Teflon/spl reg/ PTFE) and nonporous FEP (Teflon/spl reg/ FEP) electrets are compared. The results show that porous PTFE has the best charge storage stability of organic materials for both negative and positive charges, especially at high temperatures. The structure of porous PTFE, investigated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), is important for understanding the electret properties of this material. Charge dynamics, including the influence of environmental humidity and temperature on charge stability and shift of mean charge depth, and the kinetics of detrapped charges for the porous PTFE film electrets were also investigated by means of isothermal surface potential decay measurements and analysis of the TSD current spectra in combination with the heat pulse technique. It is found that from about RT to 200/spl deg/C slow retrapping plays a dominant role; from about 200/spl deg/C to 300/spl deg/C fast retrapping controls the transport.     

An analytic drain current model for long‐channel undoped gate stack surrounding‐gate MOSFETs including interface fixed charges

On the basis of the exact solution of Poisson's equation and Pao–Sah double integral for long‐channel bulk MOSFETs, a continuous and analytic drain current model for the undoped gate stack (GS) surrounding‐gate (SRG) metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) including positive or negative interface fixed charges near the drain junction is presented. Considering the effect of the interface fixed charges on the flat‐band voltage and the electron mobility, the model, which is expressed with the surface and body center potentials evaluated at the source and drain ends, describes the drain current from linear region to saturation region through a single continuous expression. It is found that the surface and body center potentials are increased/decreased in the case of positive/negative interface fixed charges, respectively, and the positive/negative interface fixed charges can decrease/increase the drain current. The model agrees well with the 3D numerical simulations and can be efficiently used to explore the effects of interface fixed charges on the drain current of the gate stack surrounding‐gate MOSFETs of the charge‐trapped memory device. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The role of BaTiO3 in modifying the dc breakdownstrength of LDPE

In the present paper, the effect of the addition of fine particles 1%wt BaTiO₃ to plain low-density polyethylene (LDPE) on the short-term dc breakdown strength of LDPE is investigated. The Weibull plots are used to analyze the breakdown test results. This indicates that the addition of BaTiO₃ to LDPE has reduced the short-term dc breakdown strength of the doped material by ~16% and increased the dispersion of the breakdown data. The results also indicate that the Weibull exponent b has been reduced significantly for the doped material. Earlier measurements on the effects of the incorporation of BaTiO₃ in LDPE on dc current transients and space charge formation in LDPE are presented and correlated with the present results. Results from a variety of measurements using different techniques such as X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy are used in order to establish the effects of the incorporation of the additive in the polymer on its structure and morphology. The multiple role of BaTiO₃ additive in modifying the dc breakdown strength of LDPE is discussed in general terms of the existing breakdown theories in solid dielectrics. The combined effects of the additive on the different factors which influence the breakdown process in solids such as charge carrier mobility, charge carrier injection at the electrodes, space charge formation, polymer structure and morphology is explained and discussed. The present work introduces some novel elements in explaining breakdown processes in polymeric solid dielectrics by using an additive of known effects to provide an insight into the breakdown in LDPE. Moreover, an attempt is made to integrate results from different measurements using a multitude of techniques to yield a meaningful picture of the breakdown mechanism of LDPE     

From LDPE to XLPE: investigating the change of electrical properties. Part I. space charge, conduction and lifetime

This paper discusses the results of space charge, conduction current and electrical lifetime measurements performed on widely-used materials for electrical insulation, that is, low density polyethylene (LDPE) and cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). Space charge accumulation profiles were compared in LDPE, low density polyethylene plus antioxidant (LDPE+AO) and XLPE, with consideration of thermal treatment effects in LDPE and XLPE. Significant variation (decrease) of accumulated space charge and apparent mobility, as well as slight decrease of conduction current, can be seen going from LDPE to LDPE+AO and XLPE, which may be associated with formation of deeper trap levels (or an increase of their density). On the contrary, electrical life under AC voltage does not show significant differences from LDPE to XLPE. This latter result underlines that life under high AC electrical stress is mostly determined by defects (weak points) rather than material characteristics associated with charge injection and transport.     

Influence of oil aging on the space charge dynamics of oil‐immersed paper insulation under a DC electric field

The formation of space charge in oil/paper insulation system can lead to material degradation in the region of high electric field. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that affect space charge formation in oil/paper insulation system. In this paper, the effect of oil aging on space charge dynamics in oil/paper insulation system is investigated using the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) technique under a DC electric field at room temperature. The ultraviolet/visible (UV/vis) spectrum of the oil shifts to longer wavelengths, and the oil acidity increases as the aging time increases. It has been found that the oil property has a significant effect on the space charge distribution in the oil/paper insulation sample. The more the deterioration of the oil, the larger amount of negative and positive charges accumulated in the bulk of the oil/paper insulation sample. The total amount of slow moving charges, the surface trap energy density, and the electric field distortion of the oil/paper insulation sample increased with the degree of deterioration due to oil aging. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Space charge behavior in XLPE cable insulation under 0.2-1.2 MV/cmdc fields

This report deals with space charge behavior in PE (polyethylene) under dc fields. Direct observation of time-dependent space charge profiles in 3-mm thick XLPE (crosslinked low-density polyethylene) cable insulation under dc electric fields was performed using the pulsed electroacoustic method. Stable hetero charges were formed when the field was as low as 0.2 MV/cm, and intermittent generation of packet shaped space charges and their propagation through the insulation were observed when the field was as high as 0.7 MV/cm. These phenomena were reproduced in sheet specimens of XLPE and LDPE (low-density polyethylene). It was found that hetero charges resulted from heat treatment of the XLPE specimen containing antioxidant and acetophenone, which is one of the crosslinking by-products, suggesting dissociation of the antioxidant through solvation at high temperature by acetophenone. The packet charges were easily detected when acetophenone was diffused into the LDPE specimen. However, uniformity of acetophenone distribution prevented the packet charge generation. It is suggested on the basis of several experimental results that local ionization of impurities in the insulation through solvation by acetophenone takes place assisted by high field and leads to the packet charge generation. A numerical simulation was carried out based on the above model     

Space charge dynamics in LDPE films immediately before breakdown

Space charge dynamics in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films were observed by the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) method during breakdown tests at various temperatures. In order to investigate the intrinsic electrical breakdown, the applied electric field was increased to 300 kV/mm in 150 ms, and kept constant until breakdown of the specimens, or 300 ms at the longest. Space charge profiles were measured at 1 ms intervals. A significant positive charge propagating into the sample was observed only immediately before the breakdown at 90°C. These measurements revealed that the positive charge behavior is strongly related to the breakdown phenomena     

DC conduction and electrical breakdown of MgO/LDPE nanocomposite

To understand basic electric properties of nano-sized magnesium oxide (MgO) / low-density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposite under DC voltage application, the volume resistivity, the space charge distribution and the breakdown strength were investigated. By the addition of nano-sized MgO filler, both the DC breakdown strength and the volume resistivity of LDPE increased. At the average DC electric field of about 85 kV/mm and more, a positive packet space charge was observed in LDPE without MgO nano-filler, whereas a little homogeneous space charge was observed in MgO/LDPE nanocomposite material at the front of electrode. From these results, it is confirmed that the addition of MgO nano-filler leads to the improvement of DC electrical insulating properties of LDPE.