Partial discharge testing has been used for a long period in order to help people detect insulation problems. This testing is more than useful because it can find the problems before they lead to failure. As a consequence, partial discharge testing has become an important tool in the maintenance of the electric equipment, being used to determine any possible problems.



People who deal with electric equipment on a daily basis need to make sure that their equipment is in a good condition and they can do that by means of partial discharge testing. This testing will identify any problems before they lead to a breakdown of the system and they are recommended at least annually. The cost of the partial discharge testing is low in comparison with what you would have to pay in order to repair the failure of the system.

Electric systems all over the world experience quite often problems with aging insulation. Most of the times, people confront themselves with catastrophic results when the insulation system fails. Such failure causes huge financial losses because of the lost production and the deterioration of the expensive equipment. Fortunately, nowadays people have the power to reduce their losses by means of partial discharge testing, which can predict when a possible insulation failure occurs.

Furthermore, partial discharge testing is non-intrusive, being able to locate partial discharge activities. Thus, one can easily assess the condition of the insulation and take the necessary measures in order to solve any existing problems. The early detection of partial discharge activities can prevent the failure of the equipment because it provides a warning of problems before they occur.

If you want to prevent a breakdown, we suggest testing your electric equipment; moreover, it is probably a good idea to have some partial discharge measurements which can detect and measure partial discharge activities. The use of partial discharge measurements has increased a lot the last years due to the application of digital analysis of the partial discharge systems and due to the use of computers which provide analysis of the partial discharge information.

The professional systems which are used nowadays provide an enhanced flexibility of use and a more accurate insulation diagnostic tool. Due to their obvious progress and accuracy, partial discharge measurements have become an essential tool in the insulation condition assessment. Nowadays measurement systems are based on modern computation techniques which aim to achieve a reliable detection of the partial discharges and the assessment of the partial discharge magnitudes.

The failure of electric equipment causes a long interruption of the system, costly repairs and of course, loss of revenue. The deterioration of the insulation is also a major cause of outages and the early detection and diagnosis of insulation problems will help you prevent such faults. Partial discharge activities represent an aging factor, being caused by several defects. Partial discharge tests and partial discharge measurements are highly recommended for many electrical types of equipment, for the purpose of maintenance and quality assessment.

One of the most frequent types of partial discharge measurements used nowadays is the ultrasonic measurement. The ultrasound waves penetrate seals, air vents and other small openings and the ultrasonic measurement is performed online, being non-intrusive. This method maintains the insulation integrity of the equipment that is tested, being employed in many applications such ad transformers, cable terminators, switchgears and others.