Some Studies on Breakdown of Solid Insulations and it’s Modeling using Soft Computing Techniques

Abstract

Electrical power systems are experiencing significant changes at the worldwide scale both in size and in complexities. The generating capacities of power plants and application of high voltage has intensively increased due to their inherent advantages, such as, greater efficiency and cost effectiveness. It is, thus essential to know the property of the insulating materials for optimum solution in terms of cost and insulating capability. Out of so many properties of insulation materials, determination of the breakdown voltage continues to evoke a lot of interest to the Electrical Engineers in general and High Voltage Engineers in particular. Hence, it is possible to develop solid insulating materials with excellent breakdown strength and any attempt at modeling the phenomenon with the presence of void would go a long way in assessing the insulation quality. Some of the few important topics reviewed at the beginning of the thesis are the factors affecting the breakdown voltage in general, breakdown voltage study of different composite insulating materials and the factors affecting the breakdown voltage due to Partial Discharges (PD) in voids.